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.
अभिगम्य तु तां देवीं न दुर्गतिमवाप्नुयात् । तत्रैव च महाराज विश्वेश्वरमुमापतिम्
Having approached that goddess, he does not attain a bad fate; and there itself, O great king, is Viśveśvara, the consort of Umā.
अभिगम्य महादेवं मुच्यते सर्वकिल्बिषैः । नारायणं चाभिगम्य पद्मनाभमरिंदम
Having approached Mahādeva, one is freed from all sins; and having approached Nārāyaṇa, Padmanābha, the subduer of enemies—
शोभमानो महाराज विष्णुलोकं प्रपद्यते । तीर्थेषु सर्वदेवानां स्नातमात्रो नराधिप
Resplendent, O great king, he attains the world of Vishnu; having bathed at the sacred places of all the gods, O ruler of men.
सर्वदुःखपरित्यक्तो द्योतते शिववत्सदा । ततस्त्वस्थिपुरं गच्छेत्तीर्थसेवी नराधिप
Freed from all suffering, he shines forth, always dear to Shiva; then, O king, the devotee of holy places should go to Asthipura.
पावनं तीर्थमासाद्य तर्पयेत्पितृदेवताः । अग्निष्टोमस्य यज्ञस्य फलमाप्नोति भारत
Having reached the purifying holy place, he should offer oblations to ancestors and deities; he obtains the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice, O descendant of Bharata.
गंगाह्रदश्च तत्रैव कूपश्च भरतर्षभ । तिस्रः कोट्यस्तु तीर्थानां तस्मिन्कूपे महीयते
There, O best of Bharatas, is the Ganga pool and a well; three crore holy places are glorified in that well.
तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्ब्रह्मलोके प्रपद्यते । आपगायां नरः स्नात्वा अर्चयित्वा महेश्वरम्
Having bathed there, O king, a man attains the world of Brahma; having bathed in the river, he worships Maheshvara.
गतिं परामवाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत् । ततः स्थाणुवटं गछेत्त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुतम्
He attains the highest path and also uplifts his lineage; then he should go to Sthanuvaṭa, renowned in the three worlds.
तत्र स्नात्वा स्थितो रात्रिं रुद्रलोकमवाप्नुयात् । बदरीणां वनं गच्छेद्वसिष्ठस्याश्रमं ततः
Having bathed there and stayed overnight, he attains the world of Rudra; then he should go to the forest of Badarī and the hermitage of Vasiṣṭha.
बदरी भक्ष्यते यत्र त्रिरात्रोपोषितो नरः । सम्यग्द्वादशवर्षाणि बदरीं भक्षयेत्तु यः
Where Badarī berries are eaten, a man who has fasted for three nights; whoever eats Badarī berries properly for twelve years.