सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा सोमलोकं व्रजेद्ध्रुवम् । तत्र चिह्नं महाराज अद्यापि हि न संशयः
With all sins cleansed, the soul surely goes to the world of Soma; even today, O great king, the sign remains—there is no doubt.
कपिला सहवत्सा वै पर्वते विचरत्युतः । सवत्सायाः पदान्यस्या दृश्यंतेऽद्यापि भारत
A tawny cow with her calf indeed roams on the mountain; even today, O Bhārata, the footprints of that cow with her calf are seen.
तेषूपस्पृश्य राजेंद्र पदेषु नृपसत्तम । यत्किंचिदशुभं पापं तत्प्रणश्यति भारत
By bathing at those footprints, O best of kings, whatever inauspicious or sinful thing there is, O Bhārata, that is destroyed.
ततो गृध्रवटं गच्छेत्स्थानं देवस्य शूलिनः । स्नायात्तु भस्मना तत्र संगम्य वृषभध्वजम्
Then one should go to Gṛdhravaṭa, the place of the god with the trident; there, after bathing in ashes and meeting the bull-bannered one, one should bathe.
ब्राह्मणेन भवेच्चीर्णं व्रतं द्वादशवार्षिकम् । इतरेषां तु वर्णानां सर्वपापं प्रणश्यति
For a Brāhmaṇa, the twelve-year vow is to be performed there; for people of other classes, all sins are destroyed.
गच्छेत तत उद्यंतं पर्वतं गीतनादितम् । सावित्रं तु पदं तत्र दृश्यते भरतर्षभ
Then one should go to the rising mountain, resounding with song; there, O best of Bhāratas, the Sāvitra step is seen.
तत्र संध्यामुपासीत ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः । उपास्ताहि भवेत्संध्या तेन द्वादशवार्षिकी
There, a Brāhmaṇa of firm vows should perform the evening worship; by worshipping there, the twelve-year evening rite is fulfilled.
योनिद्वारं च तत्रैव विश्रुतं भरतर्षभ । तत्राभिगम्य मुच्येत पुरुषो योनिसंकटात्
There too is the renowned 'womb-gate', O best of Bhāratas; by approaching there, a person is freed from the distress of the womb.
शुक्लकृष्णावुभौ पक्षौ गयायां यो वसेन्नरः । पुनात्यासप्तमं राजन्कुलं नास्त्यत्र संशयः
O King, a man who dwells at Gayā during both the bright and dark fortnights purifies up to the seventh generation of his family—there is no doubt about this.
एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्रा यद्यप्येको गयां व्रजेत् । यजेत वाश्वमेधेन नीलं वा वृषमुत्सृजेत्
Though many sons are to be desired, if even one goes to Gayā, or performs an Aśvamedha sacrifice, or releases a blue bull, he fulfills the duty.
ततः फल्गुं व्रजेद्राजंस्तीर्थसेवी नराधिप । अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति सिद्धिं च परमां व्रजेत्
Then, O King, one should go to the Phalgu river; serving at the holy place, a man attains the fruit of the Aśvamedha and reaches the highest perfection.
ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र धर्मपृष्ठं समाहितः । यत्र धर्मो महाराज नित्यमास्ते युधिष्ठिर
After that, O King, one should go with a focused mind to Dharmapṛṣṭha, where Dharma himself always resides, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
धर्म्मं तत्राभिसंगम्य वाजिमेधफलं लभेत् । ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र ब्रह्मणस्तीर्थमुत्तमम्
Having met Dharma there, one obtains the fruit of the Aśvamedha; then, O King, one should go to the supreme holy place of Brahmā.
तत्राभिगम्य ब्रह्माणमर्चयेन्नियतव्रतः । राजसूयाश्वमेधाभ्यां फलं प्राप्नोति भारत
There, approaching Brahmā and worshipping him with disciplined vows, one attains the fruit of both the Rājasūya and Aśvamedha sacrifices, O Bhārata.
ततो राजगृहं गच्छेत्तीर्थसेवी नराधिप । उपस्पृश्य ततस्तत्र कक्षीवानिव मोदते
Then, the king who serves the holy places should go to Rājagṛha; after bathing there, he rejoices like Kakṣīvān.
यक्षिण्या नैत्यकं तत्र प्रागग्निपुरुषः शुचिः । यक्षिण्यास्तु प्रसादेन मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया
There, the pure man, facing east, should perform the daily rite for Yakṣiṇī; by her grace, he is freed from the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa.
मणिनागं ततो गच्छेद्गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । नैत्यकं भुंजते यस्तु मणिनागस्य मानवः
Then, one should go to Maṇināga and obtains the fruit of giving a thousand cows; whoever partakes of the daily rite for Maṇināga enjoys this reward.
दष्टस्याशीविषेणास्य न विषं क्रमते नृप । तत्रोष्य रजनीमेकां सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
If bitten by a venomous snake, its poison does not affect him, O King; and by staying there for one night, he is freed from all sins.
ततो गच्छेत ब्रह्मर्षेर्गौतमस्य वनं नृप । अहल्याया ह्रदे स्नात्वा व्रजेत परमां गतिम्
Then, O King, one should go to the forest of the sage Gautama; by bathing in the pool of Ahalyā, one attains the highest state.
अभिगम्य श्रियं राजन्विंदते श्रियमुत्तमाम् । तत्रोदपानो धर्म्मज्ञ त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः
Having approached Śrī there, O King, one obtains the highest prosperity; there, the sacred bath is renowned in the three worlds, O knower of Dharma.
तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत वाजिमेधमवाप्नुयात् । जनकस्य तु राजर्षेः कूपस्त्रिदशपूजितः
There, by performing the ceremonial bath, one attains the fruit of the Aśvamedha; and the well of King Janaka, revered by the gods, is there.
तत्राभिषेकं कृत्वा च विष्णुलोकमवाप्नुयात् । ततोऽविनाशनं गच्छेत्सर्वपापप्रमोचनम्
Having performed the ceremonial bath there, one attains the world of Viṣṇu; then, one should go to Avināśana, which removes all sins.
वाजिमेधमवाप्नोति सोमलोकं च गच्छति । गंडकीं च समासाद्य सर्वतीर्थजलोद्भवाम्
He attains the fruit of the Aśvamedha and goes to the world of Soma; and, reaching the Gaṇḍakī river, which arises from the waters of all holy places—
वाजपेयमवाप्नोति सूर्यलोकं च गच्छति । ततो ध्रुवस्य धर्मज्ञ समाविश्य तपोवनम्
He attains the fruit of the Vājapeya sacrifice and goes to the world of the Sun; then, O knower of Dharma, entering the hermitage of Dhruva—
गुह्यकेषु महाभाग मोदते नात्र संशयः । कर्मदां तु समासाद्य नदीं सिद्धनिषेविताम्
There, among the Guhyakas, O greatly fortunate one, he delights—there is no doubt; and, reaching the river Karmadā, frequented by the perfected beings—
पुंडरीकमवाप्नोति सोमलोकं च गच्छति । ततो विशालामासाद्य नदीं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुताम्
He attains Puṇḍarīka and goes to the world of Soma; then, reaching the river Viśālā, renowned throughout the three worlds—
अग्निष्टोममवाप्नोति स्वर्गलोकं च गच्छति । अथ माहेश्वरीं धारां समासाद्य नराधिप
He attains the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice and goes to the heavenly world; but, O lord of men, having reached the Māheśvarī stream—
अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत् । दिवौकसां पुष्करिणीं समासाद्य नरः शुचिः
He attains the Aśvamedha sacrifice and also uplifts his lineage; a pure man, having reached the sacred pool of the gods—
न दुर्गतिमवाप्नोति वाजपेयं च विंदति । अथ माहेशपदं गच्छेद्ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः
He does not meet with misfortune and obtains the fruit of the Vājapeya; then, a devoted celibate attains the abode of Maheśa.
माहेश्वरपदे स्नात्वा वाजिमेधफलं लभेत् । तत्र कोटिस्तु तीर्थानां विश्रुता भरतर्षभ
Bathing at the Maheśvara abode, he obtains the fruit of the Vājimedha sacrifice; there, O best of the Bharatas, is the celebrated multitude of sacred fords.