स्नायंते भरतश्रेष्ठ वृत्ता वै कार्त्तिकीं सदा । तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र द्योतते शिववत्सदा
There, O best of the Bharatas, people always bathe during the Kartikī period; bathing there, O tiger among men, one shines always like Śiva's devotee.
गोसहस्रफलं चैव प्राप्नुयाद्भरतर्षभ । कुमारकोटिमासाद्य नियतः कुरुनंदन
And, O bull among the Bharatas, one attains the merit of a thousand cows; reaching Kumārakoṭi with discipline, O descendant of Kuru.
तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत पितृदेवार्चने रतः । गवामयुतमाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत्
There, one should perform an abhiṣeka, devoted to honoring ancestors and gods; he attains the merit of ten thousand cows and uplifts his lineage.
ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ रुद्रकोटिं समाहिताः । पुरा यत्र महाराज ऋषिकोटिः समाहिता
Then, those who know righteousness should proceed, with focused mind, to Rudrakoṭi, O King, where in ancient times a multitude of seers gathered in concentration.
वर्षेण च समाविष्टा देवदर्शनकांक्षया । अहंपूर्वमहंपूर्वं द्रक्ष्यामि वृषभध्वजम्
Year after year, filled with longing to see the divine, each would think, 'I will be the first, I will be the first to behold the Bull-bannered One.'
एवं संप्रस्थिता राजनृषयः किलभारत । ततो योगीश्वरेणापि योगमास्थाय भूपते
Thus, O King, the sages set out, O Bhārata; then, even the Lord of Yogis, having entered into yoga, O ruler of men—
तेषां मन्युप्रशांत्यर्थमृषीणां भावितात्मनाम् । सृष्टा तु कोटिरुद्राणामृषीणामग्रतः स्थिता
For the appeasement of the anger of those sages of purified minds, a crore of Rudras was created, standing before the sages.
मया पूर्वं हरो दृष्टो इति ते मेनिरे पृथक् । तेषां तुष्टो महादेव ऋषीणामुग्रतेजसाम्
Each thought separately, 'I saw Hara first.' Pleased with those sages of fierce energy, the great god Mahādeva—
भक्त्या परमया राजन्वरं तेषां प्रदत्तवान् । अद्यप्रभृति युष्माकं धर्मवृद्धिर्भविष्यति
By their supreme devotion, O King, he granted them a boon: 'From this day forward, your righteousness will increase.'
तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र रुद्रकोट्यां नरः शुचिः । अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत्
There, after bathing at Rudrakoṭi, a pure man attains the merit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice and uplifts his lineage.
ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र संगमं लोकविश्रुतम् । सरस्वत्यां महापुण्यमुपासीत जनार्दनम्
Then, O King of Kings, one should go to the renowned confluence, and on the sacred Sarasvatī, worship Janārdana.
यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः । अभिगच्छंति राजेंद्र चैत्रशुक्लचतुर्दशीम्
There, O King, Brahmā and the other gods, sages, siddhas, and celestial beings gather on the fourteenth day of the bright half of Caitra.
तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र विंदेद्बहुसुवर्णकम् । सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा शिवलोकं च गच्छति
There, after bathing, O tiger among men, one obtains much gold; with all sins cleansed, he attains the world of Śiva.
ऋषीणां यत्र सत्राणि समाप्तानि नराधिप । तत्रावसानमासाद्य गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
Where the sacrifices of the sages are completed, O lord of men, by reaching the conclusion there, one obtains the fruit of a thousand cows.
नारदउवाच-। ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र कुरुक्षेत्रमभिष्टुतम् । पापेभ्यो विप्रमुच्यंते तद्गताः सर्वजंतवः
Nārada said: Then, O King, one should go to the celebrated Kurukṣetra; all beings who go there are freed from sins.
कुरुक्षेत्रं गमिष्यामि कुरुक्षेत्रे वसाम्यहम् । य एवं सततं ब्रूयात्सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
If one says, 'I will go to Kurukṣetra, I will dwell in Kurukṣetra,' with such constant intent, he is freed from all sins.
तत्र मासं वसेद्धीरः सरस्वत्यां नराधिप । यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा यत्र ब्रह्मर्षिचारणाः
There, a steadfast man should reside for a month on the Sarasvatī, O lord of men, where Brahmā and the other gods, and the seers and celestial beings dwell.
गंधर्वाप्सरसो यक्षाः पन्नगाश्च महीपते । ब्रह्मक्षेत्रं महापुण्यमभिगच्छंति भारत
Gandharvas, apsarases, yakṣas, and serpents, O King, all go to that supremely holy Brahma-kshetra, O Bhārata.
मनसाप्यभिकामस्य कुरुक्षेत्रे युधिष्ठिर । पापानि विप्रणश्यंति ब्रह्मलोकं च गच्छति
Even one who desires it only in his mind, O Yudhiṣṭhira, has his sins destroyed at Kurukṣetra and attains the world of Brahmā.
गत्वा हि श्रद्धया युक्तः कुरुक्षेत्रं कुरूद्वह । वाजपेयाश्वमेध्याभ्यां फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः
Having gone there with faith, O best of the Kurus, a man attains the fruit of both the Vājapeya and Aśvamedha sacrifices.
ततो मत्तर्णकं राजन्द्वारपालं महाबलम् । यं वै समभिवाद्यैव गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
Then, O King, the intoxicated Arṇaka, the mighty gatekeeper—whoever approaches him with reverence attains the merit equal to a thousand cows.
ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ विष्णोः स्थानमनुत्तमम् । सततं नाम राजेंद्र यत्र सन्निहितो हरिः
After that, the righteous one should proceed to the supreme abode of Viṣṇu, O King, where Hari is always present.
तत्र स्नात्वा च दृष्ट्वा च त्रिलोकप्रभवं हरिम् । अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति विष्णुलोकं च गच्छति
There, after bathing and beholding Hari, the origin of the three worlds, one attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice and reaches the realm of Viṣṇu.
ततः पारिप्लवं गच्छेत्तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् । अग्निष्टोमातिरात्राभ्यां फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः
Then one should go to Pāriplava, the renowned tīrtha of the three worlds; a person obtains the fruit of Agniṣṭoma and Atirātra sacrifices.
पृथिव्यां तीर्थमासाद्य गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । ततः शाल्विकिनीं गत्वा तीर्थसेवी नराधिप
Upon reaching the tīrtha on earth, one gains the merit equal to a thousand cows; then, O ruler of men, after going to Śālvikinī, the tīrtha devotee—
दशाश्वमेधिके स्नात्वा तदेव लभते फलम् । सर्पनीविं समासाद्य नागानां तीर्थमुत्तमम्
By bathing at the place of ten Aśvamedhas, one attains that very fruit; upon reaching Sarpanīvi, the supreme tīrtha of the nāgas—
अग्निष्टोममवाप्नोति नागलोकं च गच्छति । ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ द्वारपालमतर्णकम्
One obtains the fruit of Agniṣṭoma and attains the world of the nāgas; then, O knower of dharma, proceed to the gatekeeper Arṇaka.
तत्रोष्य रजनीमेकां गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । ततःपंचनदंगत्वानियतोनियताशनः
By staying there for one night, one attains the merit equal to a thousand cows; then, after going to Pañcanada, with disciplined conduct and regulated food—
कोटितीर्थमुपस्पृश्य हयमेधफलं लभेत् । अश्विनीतीर्थमागम्य रूपवानभिजायते
By touching the Koṭitīrtha, one attains the fruit of the horse sacrifice; upon reaching the Aśvinī tīrtha, one is born beautiful.
ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ वाराहं तीर्थमुत्तमम् । विष्णुर्वाराहरूपेण पुरा यत्र स्थितोऽभवत्
Then, O knower of dharma, proceed to the supreme Vārāha tīrtha, where Viṣṇu formerly dwelled in the form of a boar.