व्यासेन नृपशार्दूल द्विजार्थमिति नः श्रुतम् । सर्वतीर्थेषु स स्नाति मिश्रके स्नाति यो नरः
By Vyāsa, O tiger among kings, it has been heard by us that for the sake of the twice-born, whoever bathes at Miśraka bathes at all holy places.
ततो व्यासवनं गच्छेन्नियतो नियताशनः । मनोजवे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
Then, proceeding to Vyāsavana, disciplined and moderate in food, by bathing at Manojava, a man obtains the fruit of a thousand cows.
गत्वा मधुवनीं चापि देव्याः स्थानं नरः शुचिः । तत्र स्नात्वार्चयेद्देवान्पितॄंश्च नियतः शुचिः
Having gone to Madhuvanī, the pure man approaches the goddess's place; there, bathing, he should worship the gods and ancestors, disciplined and pure.
सदेव्या समनुज्ञातो गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । कौशिक्याः संगमे यस्तु दृषद्वत्याश्च भारत
Having been permitted by the goddess, he obtains the fruit of a thousand cows; at the confluence of the Kauśikī and Dṛṣadvatī rivers, O Bhārata,
स्नातो वै नियताहारः सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते । ततो व्यासस्थली नाम यत्र व्यासेन धीमता
One who bathes there, with regulated diet, is freed from all sins; then comes the place called Vyāsasthalī, where Vyāsa, the wise,
पुत्रशोकाभितप्तेन देहत्यागाय निश्चयः । कृतो देवैश्च राजेंद्र पुनरुत्थापितस्तथा
Afflicted by grief for his son, resolved to abandon his body, and was likewise restored by the gods, O King.
अभिगम्य स्थलद्यं तस्य गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । ऋणांतं कूपमासाद्य तिलप्रस्थं प्रदाय च
Approaching that holy place, one obtains the fruit of a thousand cows; reaching the well called Ṛṇānta, and giving a prastha of sesame,
गच्छेत परमां सिद्धिमृणैर्मुक्तो नरेश्वर । वेदीतीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
He attains the highest perfection, freed from debts, O lord of men; by bathing at the holy place called Vedi, one obtains the fruit of a thousand cows.
अहश्च सुदिनश्चैव द्वे तीर्थे नृप दुर्लभे । तयोः स्नात्वा नरः श्रेष्ठ सूर्यलोकमवाप्नुयात्
There are two holy places, O King, rare and auspicious, called Aha and Sudina; by bathing at those, O best of men, one attains the world of the Sun.
मृगधूमं ततो गच्छेत्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । तत्र रुद्रपदे स्नात्वा समभ्यर्च्य च मानवः
Then he should go to Mṛgadhūma, renowned in the three worlds; there, by bathing at the place of Rudra and duly worshipping, a man—
शूलपाणिं महात्मानमश्वमेधफलं लभेत् । कोटितीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
By worshipping the great-souled wielder of the trident, one obtains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice; by bathing at the Koṭitīrtha, a person gains the merit equal to giving a thousand cows.
अथ वामनकं गत्वा त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । तत्र विष्णुपदे स्नात्वा समभ्यर्च्य च वामनम्
Or, by going to Vāmanaka, renowned in the three worlds, and there bathing at the foot of Viṣṇu and duly worshipping Vāmana—
सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा विष्णुलोकमवाप्नुयात् । कुलंपुने नरः स्नात्वा पुनाति स्वकुलं नरः
—with all sins cleansed from the heart, one attains the world of Viṣṇu; and by bathing there, a person purifies his entire lineage.
पवनस्य ह्रदं गत्वा मरुतां तीर्थमुत्तमम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र वायुलोके महीयते
By going to the lake of Pavanā and to the supreme ford of the Maruts, and bathing there, O tiger among men, one is honored in the world of the Wind-god.
अमराणां ह्रदे स्नात्वा समभ्यर्च्यामराधिपम् । अमराणां प्रभावेण स्वर्गलोके महीयते
By bathing in the lake of the immortals and worshipping the lord of the immortals, through the power of the immortals, one is honored in the heavenly world.
शालिहोत्रस्य राजेंद्र शालिसूर्ये यथाविधि । स्नात्वा नरवरश्रेष्ठ गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
At the ford of Śālihotra, O king, and at Śālisūrya, by bathing there according to the proper rite, O best of men, one obtains the merit equal to giving a thousand cows.
श्रीकुंजं च सरस्वत्यां तीर्थं भरतसत्तम । तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्नग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
And at Śrīkuñja, the sacred place on the Sarasvatī, O best of the Bharatas, by bathing there, O king, a person gains the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.
ततो नैमिषिकुंजं च समासाद्य सुदुर्लभम् । ऋषयः किल राजेंद्र नैमिषेयास्तपोधनाः
Then, reaching the Naimiṣa grove, which is very difficult to attain, the sages of Naimiṣa, rich in austerity, O king—
तीर्थयात्रां पुरस्कृत्य कुरुक्षेत्रे गताः पुरा । ततः कुंजः सरस्वत्यां कृतो भरतसत्तम
—once undertook a pilgrimage and went to Kurukṣetra; from that, O best of the Bharatas, the grove on the Sarasvatī was established.
ऋषीणामवकाशः स्याद्यथा तुष्टिकरो महान् । तस्मिन्कुंजे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
That grove became a place for the sages, greatly satisfying; by bathing in that grove, one obtains the merit equal to giving a thousand cows.
नारद उवाच-। ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ कन्यातीर्थमनुत्तमम् । कन्यातीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा अग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
Nārada said: Then, O knower of dharma, one should go to the excellent Kanyā-tīrtha; by bathing at Kanyā-tīrtha, a person obtains the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.
ततो गच्छेन्नरव्याघ्र ब्रह्मणः स्थानमुत्तमम् । तत्र वर्णावरः स्नात्वा ब्राह्मण्यं लभते नरः
Then, O tiger among men, one should go to the supreme place of Brahmā; there, by bathing, a person of any class attains the state of a Brāhmaṇa.
ब्राह्मणस्तु विशुद्धात्मा गच्छेत परमां गतिम् । ततो गच्छेन्नरव्याघ्र सोमतीर्थमनुत्तमम्
A Brāhmaṇa, with a purified heart, attains the highest state; then, O tiger among men, one should go to the excellent Soma-tīrtha.
तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्सोमलोकमवाप्नुयात् । सप्तसारस्वतं तीर्थं ततो गच्छेन्नराधिप
By bathing there, O king, a person attains the world of Soma; then, O lord of men, one should go to the Saptasārasvata ford.
यत्र मंकणकः सिद्धो ब्रह्मर्षिर्लोकविश्रुतः । पुरा मंकणको राजन्कुशाग्रेणेति विश्रुतम्
There, the accomplished sage Maṅkaṇaka, renowned among the worlds, once, it is said, pierced his hand with a blade of kuśa grass.
क्षतः किल करे राजन्तस्य शाकरसोऽस्रवत् । स वै शाकरसं दृष्ट्वा हर्षाविष्टो महातपाः
From his hand, O king, sap of śāka flowed; seeing that sap, the great ascetic was filled with joy.
ननर्त किल विप्रर्षिर्विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः । ततस्तस्मिन्प्रनृत्ते वै स्थावरं जंगमं च यत्
Then, the Brāhmaṇa sage, his eyes wide with wonder, began to dance; and as he danced, all that was moving and unmoving—
प्रनृत्तमुभयं वीर तेजसा तस्य मोहितम् । ब्रह्मादिभिस्ततो देवैर्ऋषिभिश्च तपोधनैः
—danced as well, O hero, bewildered by his energy; then, by Brahmā and the other gods, and by the sages rich in austerity—
विज्ञप्तो वै ऋषेरर्थे महादेवो नराधिप । नायं नृत्येद्यथा देव तथा त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि
O king, Mahadeva was requested by the sage for a purpose; you should act as the god does, and not dance here.
ततो देवो मुनिं दृष्ट्वा हर्षाविष्टेन चेतसा । नृत्यंतमब्रवीच्चैनं स्थिराणां हितकाम्यया
Then, seeing the sage, the god spoke to him with a mind filled with joy, desiring the welfare of the steadfast.