मुक्तिं चैव जपेत्कर्णे शिष्टस्यानुगतस्य च । इदं धर्म्यमिदं मेध्यमिदं स्वर्ग्यमिदं सुखम्
Reciting the liberation mantra in the ear of a worthy follower; this is righteous, this is pure, this is heavenly, this is blissful.
इदं पुण्यतमं रम्यं पावनं धर्ममुत्तमम् । महीशीर्षमिदं गुह्यं सर्वपापप्रमोचनम्
This is most holy, delightful, purifying, and the highest dharma; this is the great secret of the earth, the remover of all sins.
अधीत्य द्विजमध्ये च निर्मलत्वमवाप्नुयात् । श्रीमत्स्वर्ग्यं महापुण्यं सपत्नशमनं शिवम्
By reciting this among the twice-born, one attains purity; it is glorious, heavenly, of great merit, the destroyer of enemies, and auspicious.
मेधाजननमग्र्यं वै तीर्थवंशानुकीर्त्तनम् । अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रमधनो धनमाप्नुयात्
It generates intelligence, is supreme, and recounts the lineages of sacred fords; a sonless man obtains a son, a poor man gains wealth.
महीं विजयते राजा वैश्यो धनमवाप्नुयात् । शूद्रो यातीप्सितान्कामान्ब्राह्मणः पारगः पठन्
A king conquers the earth, a merchant obtains wealth; a servant attains desired pleasures, and a Brahmin, by reciting, crosses over.
यश्चेदं शृणुयान्नित्यं तीर्थपुण्यं सदा शुचि । जातिस्मरत्वमाप्नोति नाकपृष्ठे च मोदते
Whoever hears this daily, always pure, about the merit of the sacred fords, attains remembrance of past births and rejoices in the highest heaven.
गम्यान्यपि च तीर्थानि कीर्तितान्यगमान्यपि । मनसाप्यभिगच्छेत सर्वतीर्थमनीषया
Even those sacred fords that are mentioned but not visited, one should approach them mentally, with intent, as all sacred fords.
एतानि वसुभिः साध्यैरादित्यैर्मरुदश्विभिः । ऋषिभिर्देवकल्पैश्च कृतानि सुकृतैषिभिः
These were established by the Vasus, the Adityas, the Maruts, the Ashvins, and by sages equal to the gods, who sought good deeds.
एवं त्वमपि कौरव्य विधिनानेन सुव्रत । व्रज तीर्थानि नियतः पुण्यं पुण्येन वर्द्धते
Thus, you too, O Kaurava, with this discipline, O virtuous one, go to the sacred fords with self-control; merit increases by merit.
भावितैः करणैः पूर्वमास्तिक्याछ्रुतिदर्शनात् । प्राप्यंते तानि तीर्थानि सद्भिः शिष्टानुदर्शिभिः
With purified actions, with faith, hearing, and vision from before, those sacred fords are attained by the good, who follow the example of the worthy.
नाकृतो नाकृतात्मा च नाशुचिर्न च तस्करः । स्नाति तीर्थेषु कौरव्य न च वक्रमतिर्नरः
One who has not performed the prescribed acts, whose mind is not pure, who is unclean, who is not a thief, who bathes at the sacred fords, O Kauravya, and whose mind is not crooked—
त्वया तु सम्यग्वृत्तेन नित्यं धर्मार्थदर्शिना । पितरस्तर्पितास्तात सर्वे च प्रपितामहाः । पितामहपुरोगाश्च देवाः सर्षिगणास्तथा
But by you, who always act rightly and see the true purpose of righteousness and wealth, all your ancestors, O dear one, and all your great-grandfathers, together with the gods led by the patriarchs and all the hosts of seers, are satisfied.
वसिष्ठ उवाच- त्वं च धर्मेण धर्मज्ञ नित्यमेवाभितोषिताः । दिलीपकीर्तिं महतीं प्राप्स्यसे भुवि शाश्वतीम्
Vasiṣṭha said: And you, O knower of righteousness, are always well-pleased by righteousness; you will obtain on earth the great and lasting fame of Dilīpa.
नारद उवाच- एवमुक्त्वाभ्यनुज्ञाप्य वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः । प्रीतः प्रीतेनमनसा तत्रैवांतरधीयत
Nārada said: Having spoken thus and given his permission, the venerable sage Vasiṣṭha, pleased and with a delighted mind, vanished right there.
दिलीपः कुरुशार्दूल शास्त्रतत्त्वार्थदर्शनात् । वसिष्ठवचनाच्चैव पृथिवीमनुचक्रमे
Dilīpa, O best of the Kurus, because of his understanding of the true meaning of the scriptures and the words of Vasiṣṭha, traversed the earth.
एवमेषा महाभाग प्रतिष्ठाने प्रतिष्ठिता । तीर्थयात्रा महापुण्या सर्वपापप्रमोचनी
In this way, O greatly fortunate one, the establishment of the pilgrimage has been established; the pilgrimage to the sacred fords is supremely meritorious and the remover of all sins.
अनेन विधिना यस्तु पृथिवीं पर्यटिष्यति । अश्वमेधशतं साग्रं फलं प्रेत्यैष भोक्ष्यते
Whoever travels the earth in this manner will, after death, enjoy the fruit equal to a hundred horse sacrifices, with their appendages.
ततश्चाष्टगुणं पार्थ प्राप्स्यसे धर्ममुत्तमम् । दिलीपः पार्थ नृपतिर्यथापूर्वमवाप्तवान्
Then, O Pārtha, you will obtain eightfold the highest righteousness, just as King Dilīpa obtained before.
नेता च त्वमृषीन्यस्मात्तस्मात्तेष्टगुणं फलम् । रक्षोगणविकीर्णानि तीर्थान्येतानि भारत
And you will be the leader of the seers; therefore, you will receive eightfold the reward. These sacred fords, O Bhārata, are scattered with hosts of demons.
न गतिर्विद्यतेऽन्यस्य त्वामृते कुरुनंदन । इदं देवर्षिचरितं सर्वतीर्थानुसंश्रितम्
No other has access except you, O delight of the Kurus; this is the story of the divine sages, connected with all the sacred fords.
यः पठेत्कल्यमुत्थाय सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते । ऋषिमुख्याः सदा यत्र वाल्मीकिस्त्वथ कश्यपः
Whoever recites this, rising at dawn, is freed from all sins; where the foremost sages always reside—Vālmīki, and also Kaśyapa,
आत्रेयस्त्वथ कौंडिन्यो विश्वामित्रोऽथ गौतमः । असितो देवलश्चैव मार्कंडेयोऽथ गालवः
Atri, Kauṇḍinya, Viśvāmitra, Gautama, Asita, Devala, Mārkaṇḍeya, and Gālava,
भरद्वाजस्य शिष्यश्च मुनिरुद्दालकस्तथा । शौनकः सह पुत्रेण व्यासश्च तपतां वरः
The sage Uddālaka, disciple of Bharadvāja, and Śaunaka with his son, and Vyāsa, the best of ascetics,
दुर्वासाश्च मुनिश्रेष्ठो जाबालिश्च महातपाः । एते ऋषिवराः सर्वे त्वत्प्रतीक्ष्यास्तपोधनाः
And Durvāsas, the foremost sage, and Jābāli, great in austerity—these excellent seers, all rich in penance, are awaiting you.
एभिः सह महाभाग तीर्थान्येतान्यनुव्रज । प्राप्स्यसे महतीं कीर्तिं यथा राजा महाभिषः
With these, O greatly fortunate one, visit these sacred fords; you will obtain great fame, as did King Mahābhiṣa.
यथा ययातिर्धर्मात्मा यथा राजा पुरूरवाः । तथा त्वं कुरुशार्दूल स्वेन धर्मेण शोभसे
As Yayāti, righteous-souled, as King Purūravas, so you, O best of the Kurus, shine by your own righteousness.
यथा भगीरथो राजा यथा रामश्च विश्रुतः । यथा वै वृत्रहा सर्वान्सपत्नानदहत् पुरा
As King Bhagīratha, as the renowned Rāma, and as the slayer of Vṛtra formerly burned all his rivals,
त्रैलोक्यं पालयामास देवराट्विगतज्वरः । तथा शत्रुक्षयं कृत्वा त्वं प्रजाः पालयिष्यसि
As the king of the gods, free from distress, protected the three worlds, so you, having destroyed your enemies, will protect your people.
स्वधर्मेणार्जितामुर्वीं प्राप्य राजीवलोचन । ख्यातिं यास्यसि वीर्येण कार्त्तवीर्यार्जुनो यथा
Having attained the earth through your own righteous duty, O lotus-eyed one, you will gain fame through your valor, just as Kārtavīrya Arjuna did.
सूत उवाच- एवमाभाष्य राजानं नारदो भगवानृषिः । अनुज्ञाप्य महाराजं तत्रैवांतरधीयत
Sūta said: Thus having spoken to the king, the venerable sage Nārada, after taking leave of the great king, vanished right there.