पुनात्या सप्तमं चैव कुलं नास्त्यत्र संशयः । ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम्
He purifies even the seventh generation of his family—of this there is no doubt; then, O king, one should go to the holy place renowned throughout the three worlds.
पृथूदकमिति ख्यातं कार्तिकेयस्य व्नृप । तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत पितृदेवार्चने रतः
It is known as Pṛthūdaka, O king, belonging to Kārtikeya; there, one should perform ablutions, devoted to the worship of ancestors and gods.
अज्ञानाज्ज्ञानतो वापि स्त्रिया वा पुरुषेण वा । यत्किंचिदशुभं कर्म कृतं मानुषबुद्धिना
Whatever inauspicious act has been committed, knowingly or unknowingly, by a woman or a man, with human understanding—
तत्सर्वं नश्यते तत्र स्नातमात्रस्य भारत । अश्वमेधफलं चापि लभते स्वर्गमेव च
All that is destroyed there merely by bathing, O descendant of Bharata; and one obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice and also heaven.
पुण्यमाहुः कुरुक्षेत्रं कुरुक्षेत्रात्सरस्वतीम् । सरस्वत्याश्च तीर्थानि तीर्थेभ्यश्च पृथूदकम्
They call Kurukṣetra holy, and from Kurukṣetra, Sarasvatī; among the holy places on Sarasvatī, Pṛthūdaka is foremost.
उत्तमे सर्वतीर्थानां यस्त्यजेदात्मनस्तनुम् । पृथूदके जप्यपरो नैव संसरणं लभेत्
Of all holy places, whoever gives up his body at the excellent Pṛthūdaka, devoted to recitation, does not obtain rebirth.
गीतं सनत्कुमारेण व्यासेन च महात्मना । वेदे च नियतं राजन्नभिगच्छेत्पृथूदकम्
This has been sung by Sanatkumāra and by the great Vyāsa, and is established in the Veda, O king: one should approach Pṛthūdaka.
पृथूदकात्पुण्यतमं नान्यत्तीर्थं नरोत्तम । एतन्मेध्यं पवित्रं च पावनं च न संशयः
There is no other holy place more sacred than Pṛthūdaka, O best of men; this is pure, sanctifying, and holy—of this there is no doubt.
तत्र स्नात्वा दिवं यांति अपि पापकृतो जनाः । पृथूदके नरश्रेष्ठमाहुरेवं मनीषिणः
Even those who have committed sins, by bathing there, ascend to heaven; thus do the wise declare regarding Pṛthūdaka, O best of men.
मधुस्रवं च तत्रैव तीर्थं भरतसत्तम । तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
There too is the holy place called Madhusrava, O best of the Bharatas; by bathing there, a man, O king, obtains the fruit of giving a thousand cows.
ततो गच्छेन्नरश्रेष्ठ तीर्थं देव्या यथाक्रमम् । सरस्वत्यारुणायाश्च संगमं लोकविश्रुतम्
From there, O best of men, one should go in order to the holy place of the goddess, to the famous confluence of Sarasvatī and Aruṇā.
त्रिरात्रोपोषितः स्नात्वा मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया । अग्निष्टोमातिरात्राभ्यां फलं चैव समश्नुते
Fasting for three nights and bathing there, one is freed from the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa, and attains the fruit of both Agniṣṭoma and Atirātra sacrifices.
पुनात्यासप्तमं चैव कुलं नास्त्यत्र संशयः । अवकीर्णं च तत्रैव तीर्थं कुरुकुलोद्वह
He purifies even the seventh generation of his family—of this there is no doubt; there too is the holy place Avakīrṇa, O best of the Kuru lineage.
विप्राणामनुकंपार्थं दर्भिणा निर्मितं पुरा । व्रतोपनयनाभ्यां चाप्युपवासेन वा द्विजः
Long ago, for the sake of compassion toward Brāhmaṇas, it was made with darbha grass; and by vow, initiation, or even by fasting, a twice-born may [attain merit].
क्रियामंत्रैश्च संयुक्तो ब्राह्मणः स्यान्न संशयः । क्रियामंत्रविहीनोऽपि तत्र स्नात्वा नरर्षभ
There is no doubt that a Brāhmaṇa, accompanied by ritual mantras, is complete; yet even without the ritual mantras, O best of men, one who bathes there—
चीर्णव्रतो भवेद्विप्रो दृष्टमेतत्पुरातनम् । समुद्राश्चापि चत्वारः समानीताश्च दर्भिणा
—if he is a Brāhmaṇa who has observed vows, as seen from ancient times, and if the four oceans have been brought together with darbha grass—
तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र न दुर्गतिमवाप्नुयात् । फलानि गोसहस्राणां चतुर्णां विंदते च सः
—then, O tiger among men, by bathing there, he does not attain a bad fate; he obtains the fruits of giving a thousand cows, multiplied by four.
ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र तीर्थं शतसहस्रकम् । साहस्रकं च तत्रैव द्वे तीर्थे लोकविश्रुते
Then, O king, he should go to the holy place called Śatasahasraka; and there, in that very place, are two renowned tīrthas called Sāhasraka.
उभयोर्हि नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । दानं वाप्युपवासो वा सहस्रगुणितो भवेत्
By bathing in both, a man obtains the merit of giving a thousand cows; and any gift or fast performed there becomes a thousand times more fruitful.
ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र रेणुकातीर्थमुत्तमम् । तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत पितृदेवार्चने रतः
Then, O king, he should go to the excellent Reṇukā tīrtha; there, he should perform ablutions, devoted to worshipping the ancestors and the gods.
सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा अग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत् । विमोचन उपस्पृश्य जितमन्युर्जितेंद्रियः
With a mind purified of all sins, he attains the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice; after touching the Vimocana, with anger subdued and senses controlled—
प्रतिग्रहकृतैः पापैः सर्वैः संपरिमुच्यते । ततः पंचवटं गत्वा ब्रह्मचारी जितेंद्रियः
—he is completely freed from all sins arising from accepting gifts; then, going to Pañcavaṭa, as a celibate with controlled senses—
पुण्येन महता युक्तः स्वर्गलोके महीयते । यत्र योगीश्वरः स्थाणुः स्वयमेव वृषध्वजः
—endowed with great merit, he is honored in the heavenly world; there, where the lord of yogis, Sthāṇu, the bull-bannered one, himself resides—
तमर्चयित्वा देवेशं गमनादेव सिध्यति । तैजसं वारुणं तीर्थं दीप्यते स्वेन तेजसा
Having worshipped that lord of the gods, one attains success merely by going; the Taijasa and Vāruṇa tīrthas there shine with their own brilliance.
यत्र ब्रह्मादिभिर्देवैर्ऋषिभिश्च तपोधनैः । सैनापत्ये च देवानामभिषिक्तो गुहस्तदा
There, where Guha was anointed as the commander of the gods by Brahmā and other gods, and by sages rich in austerity—
तैजसस्य तु पूर्वेण कुरुतीर्थं कुरूद्वह । कुरुतीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा ब्रह्मचारी जितेंद्रियः
To the east of Taijasa is the Kuru tīrtha, O best of Kurus; by bathing at Kuru tīrtha, a celibate with controlled senses—
सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा रुद्रलोकं प्रपद्यते । स्वर्गद्वारं ततो गच्छेन्नियतो नियताशनः
—with a mind purified of all sins, attains the world of Rudra; then, he should go to the gate of heaven, self-restrained and moderate in food.
अग्निष्टोममवाप्नोति ब्रह्मलोकं च गच्छति । ततो गच्छेदनरकं तीर्थसेवी नराधिप
He attains the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice and goes to the world of Brahmā; then, O king, the devotee of tīrthas should proceed to Anaraka.
तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्न दुर्गतिमवाप्नुयात् । तत्र ब्रह्मा स्वयं नित्यं देवैस्सह महीयते
There, O king, by bathing, a man does not attain a bad fate; there, Brahmā himself is honored always together with the gods.
अध्यास्ते पुरुषव्याघ्र नारायणपरागमैः । सान्निध्यं चैव राजेंद्र रुद्रवेद्यां कुरुद्वह
O tiger among men, he dwells there with those devoted to Nārāyaṇa; and, O king, there is also the presence of Rudra in the sacred place.