सौगंधिकं वनं राजंस्ततो गच्छेत मानवः । यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः
Then, O king, a man should go to the Saugaṃdhika forest, where Brahmā and other gods, as well as sages rich in austerity, reside.
सिद्धचारणगंधर्वाः किन्नराः स महोरगाः । तद्वनं प्रविशन्नेव सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
Siddhas, Cāraṇas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and great serpents dwell there; merely entering that forest, one is freed from all sins.
ततो हि सा सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा नदीनामुत्तमा नदी । प्लक्षादेवी स्मृता राजन्महा पुण्या सरस्वती
Then, O king, that river, the best among rivers, is known as Plakṣādevī, the highly sacred Sarasvatī.
तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत वल्मीकान्निःसृते जले । अर्चयित्वा पितॄन्देवानश्वमेधफलं लभेत्
There, one should perform ablutions in the water emerging from anthills, and after worshipping ancestors and gods, obtains the fruit of the Aśvamedha sacrifice.
ईशानाध्युषितं नाम तत्र तीर्थं सुदुर्लभम् । षड्गुणं यन्निपातेषु वल्मीकादिति निश्चयः
There is a holy place called Īśānādhyuṣita, very difficult to attain, where the merit is sixfold in the spots where anthills are found—this is certain.
कपिलानां सहस्रं च वाजिमेधं च विंदति । तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र दृष्टमेतत्पुरातनैः
One obtains the merit of a thousand Kapila sacrifices and a Vājimedha; having bathed there, O tiger among men, this has been witnessed by those of old.
सुगंधां शतकुंभां च पंचयज्ञं च भारत । अभिगम्य नरश्रेष्ठ स्वर्गलोके महीयते
Having approached the fragrant Śatakumbhā and the five sacrifices, O best of men, one is honored in the heavenly world.
त्रिशूलपात्रं तत्रैव तीर्थमासाद्य दुर्लभम् । तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत पितृदेवार्चने रतः
There, at the rare holy place called Triśūlapātra, one should perform ablutions, engaged in the worship of ancestors and gods.
गाणपत्यं च लभते देहं त्यक्त्वा न संशयः । ततो राजगृहं गच्छेद्देव्याः स्थानं सुदुर्लभम्
He attains the Gāṇapatya state after abandoning the body, without doubt; then he should go to the royal residence, the exceedingly rare abode of the goddess.
शाकंभरीति विख्याता त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुता । दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं च शाकेन किल भारत
She is renowned as Śākaṃbharī, celebrated in the three worlds; for a thousand divine years, she sustained herself with vegetables, O Bhārata.
आहारं सा कृतवती मासिमासि नराधिप । ऋषयोऽभ्यागतास्तत्र देव्या भक्तास्तपोधनाः
Month by month, she prepared food from vegetables, O king of men; the sages, devoted to the goddess and rich in austerity, arrived there.
आतिथ्यं च कृतं तेषां शाकेन किल भारत । ततः शाकंभरीत्येवं नाम तस्याः प्रतिष्ठितम्
She offered them hospitality with vegetables, O Bhārata; thus the name Śākaṃbharī became established for her.
शाकंभरीं समासाद्य ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः । त्रिरात्रमुषितः शाकं भक्षयेन्नियतः शुचिः
Having approached Śākaṃbharī, a celibate, focused, should eat vegetables for three nights, disciplined and pure.
शाकाहारस्य यत्सम्यग्वर्षैर्द्वादशभिः फलम् । तत्फलं तस्य भवति देव्याश्छंदेन भारत
The fruit gained from properly eating vegetables for twelve years is obtained by him, by the grace of the goddess, O Bhārata.
ततो गच्छेत्सुवर्णाख्यं त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुतम् । यत्र कृष्णः प्रसादार्थं रुद्रमाराधयत्पुरा
Then he should go to the place called Suvarṇa, renowned in the three worlds, where Kṛṣṇa once worshipped Rudra for favor.
वरांश्च सुबहूँल्लेभे देवैरपि स दुर्ल्लभान् । उक्तश्च त्रिपुरघ्नेन परितुष्टेन भारत
He obtained many boons there, difficult even for the gods to attain, and was addressed by Tripuraghna, who was fully satisfied, O Bhārata.
अपि चात्माप्रियतरो लोके कृष्ण भविष्यसि । त्वन्मुखं च जगत्कृत्स्नं भविष्यति न संशयः
Moreover, O Krishna, you will become dearer than oneself in the world; and your face will become the entire universe, without doubt.
तत्राभिगम्य राजेंद्र पूजयित्वा वृषध्वजम् । अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति गाणपत्यं च विंदति
There, approaching and worshipping the Bull-bannered One, O king, one attains the fruit of the Ashvamedha sacrifice and obtains the favor of Ganesha.
धूमावतीं ततो गच्छेत्त्रिरात्रमुषितो नरः । मनसा प्रार्थितान्कामाँल्लभते नात्र संशयः
Then, if a man stays for three nights at Dhumavati, he certainly obtains all the desires he has wished for in his mind—of this there is no doubt.
देव्यास्तु दक्षिणार्धे नरथावर्त्तो नराधिप । तत्रागत्य तु धर्मज्ञ श्रद्दधानो जितेंद्रियः
On the southern side of the goddess, O king, is Narathavarta; there, O knower of righteousness, one who arrives with faith and controlled senses—
महादेवप्रसादेन गच्छेत परमां गतिम् । प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य गच्छेत भरतर्षभ
By the grace of Mahadeva, he attains the supreme state, having circumambulated, O best of the Bharatas.
नारदउवाच-। ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र कालिंदीतीर्थमुत्तमम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्न दुर्गतिमवाप्नुयात्
Narada said: Thereafter, O king, one should go to the excellent holy place of Kalindi; bathing there, O king, a man does not attain a bad fate.
पुष्करे तु कुरुक्षेत्रे ब्रह्मावर्त्ते पृथूदके । अविमुक्ते सुवर्णाख्ये यत्फलं लभते नरः
Whatever fruit a man obtains at Pushkara, Kurukshetra, Brahmavarta, Prithudaka, Avimukta, or the place called Suvarna—
तत्फलं समवाप्नोति यमुनायां नरोत्तम । स्वर्गभोगेतिरागो वै येषां मनसि वर्तते
That same fruit is obtained at the Yamuna, O best of men, by those whose minds are attached to the enjoyment of heaven and pleasure.
यमुनायां विशेषेण स्नानदानेन सत्तम । आयुरारोग्यसंपत्तौ रूपयौवनता गुणे
Especially by bathing and giving gifts at the Yamuna, O noble one, one attains long life, health, prosperity, beauty, youth, and good qualities.
येषां मनोरथस्तैस्तु न त्याज्यं यमुनाजलम् । ये बिभ्यति नरकादेर्दारिद्र्योऽत्र संति च
For those whose desires are thus, the water of the Yamuna should never be abandoned; those who fear hell and poverty are indeed here.
सर्वथा तैः प्रयत्नेन तत्र कार्यं निमज्जनम् । दारिद्र्य पाप दौर्भाग्य पंक प्रक्षालनाय वै
Therefore, by all means and with effort, one should immerse there, for the washing away of poverty, sin, misfortune, and the mire of adversity.
ऋते वै यामुनं तोयं न चान्योस्ति युधिष्ठिर । श्रद्धाहीनानि कर्माणि मतान्यर्धफलानि वै । फलं ददाति संपूर्णं यामुनं स्नानमात्रतः
Except for the water of the Yamuna, there is no other, O Yudhishthira; actions done without faith are considered to yield only half the result, but bathing in the Yamuna alone gives the full fruit.
अकामो वा सकामो वा यामुने सलिले नृप । इहामुत्र च दुःखानि मज्जनान्नैव पश्यति
Whether without desire or with desire, O king, one who bathes in the water of the Yamuna does not experience suffering here or hereafter.
पक्षद्वये यथा चंद्र क्षीःयते वर्द्धते तथा । पातकं नश्यते तत्र स्नानात्पुण्यं विवर्द्धते
Just as the moon wanes and waxes in both fortnights, so too, by bathing there, sin is destroyed and merit increases.