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.
युधिष्ठिरोऽपि धर्मात्मा ऋषिभिः सह सुव्रतः । जगामाखिलतीर्थानि सादरः पृथिवीपतिः
Yudhiṣṭhira, the righteous-souled and virtuous king, together with the sages, respectfully visited all the holy places.
मयोक्तामृषयः सर्वे तीर्थयात्राश्रयां कथाम् । यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि स मुक्तः सर्वपातकैः
Whoever recites or hears the account of the pilgrimage to holy places, as told by me and the sages, is freed from all sins.
मयोक्तमखिलं तत्त्वं किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छथ । ऋषीणां पुण्यकीर्तीनां नावक्तव्यं ममास्ति वै
All the truth has been spoken by me; what more do you wish to hear? There is nothing concerning the virtuous sages that I have left untold.
सूत उवाच- एवमुक्तानि तीर्थानि विष्णुदेहानि सुव्रताः । एषामन्यतमा संगान्मुक्तो भवति मानवः
Sūta said: Thus have the holy places, which are the very limbs of Viṣṇu, been described, O virtuous ones. By associating with any one of these, a person becomes liberated.
तीर्थानुश्रवणं धन्यं धन्यं तीर्थनिषेवणम् । पापराशिनिपाताय नान्योपायः कलौयुगे
Hearing about holy places is blessed, and serving holy places is blessed; in the Kali age, there is no other means for the destruction of heaps of sin.
वासं कुर्यामहं तीर्थे तीर्थस्पर्शमहं तथा । एवं योऽनुदिनं ब्रूते स याति परमं महत्
One should dwell at a holy place, and likewise touch a holy place; whoever says this every day attains the highest greatness.
पापानि तस्य नश्यंति तीर्थालापनमात्रतः । तीर्थानि खलु धन्यानि धन्यसेव्यानि सुव्रताः
His sins are destroyed merely by speaking of holy places; indeed, holy places are blessed and worthy to be served, O virtuous ones.
तीर्थानां सेवनादेव सेवितो भवति प्रभुः । नारायणो जगत्कर्ता नास्ति तीर्थात्परं पदम्
By serving the holy places alone, the Lord Nārāyaṇa, creator of the world, is served; there is no state higher than that of the holy places.
ब्राह्मणस्तुलसी चैव अश्वत्थस्तीर्थसंचयः । विष्णुश्च परमेशानः सेव्य एव सदा नृभिः
A brāhmaṇa, the tulasī plant, the aśvattha tree, and the collection of holy places, as well as Viṣṇu, the supreme Lord, are always to be served by men.
ब्राह्मणानां विशेषेण सेवनं मुनिपुंगवाः । सर्वतीर्थावगाहादेरधिकं विदुरग्रजाः
Especially, O best of sages, service to brāhmaṇas is known by the elders to be greater than bathing in all the holy places.