उष्ट्वा द्वादशवर्षाणि नियतो नियताशनः । स मुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यो सर्वक्रतुफलं लभेत्
One who, observing discipline and regulated food, stays there for twelve years, is freed from all sins and obtains the fruit of all sacrifices.
वसिष्ठ उवाच- प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्तो जंबूमार्गे समाविशेत् । जंबूमार्गं समाविश्य पितृदेवर्षिपूजितम्
Vasiṣṭha said: Turning to the right, one should enter the Jambū path; entering the Jambū path, honored by ancestors and sages.
अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति विष्णुलोकं च गच्छति । तत्रोष्य रजनीः पंच षष्ठकालेश्नुवन्नरः
He attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice and goes to Viṣṇu's world; if a man stays there for five nights, observing the six periods.
न दुर्गतिमवाप्नोति सिद्धिं चाप्नोत्यनुत्तमाम् । जंबुमार्गादुपावृत्तो गच्छेत्तु दुलिकाश्रमम्
He does not meet with misfortune and attains supreme accomplishment; turning from the Jambū path, he should go to Dulikāśrama.
न दुर्गतिमवाप्नोति स्वर्गलोके च पूज्यते । अगस्त्याश्रममासाद्य पितृदेवार्चने रतः
He does not meet with misfortune and is honored in the world of the gods; reaching Agastya's hermitage, devoted to worship of ancestors and gods.
त्रिरात्रोपोषितो राजन्नग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत् । शाकवृत्तिः फलैर्वापि कौमारं विंदते परम्
O King, fasting for three nights, he obtains the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice; living on vegetables or fruits, he attains supreme youthfulness.
कन्याश्रमं समासाद्य श्रीपुष्टं लोकपूजितम् । धर्मारण्यं हि तत्पुण्यमाद्यं च पार्थिवर्षभ
Reaching the hermitage of Kanyā, splendid and revered in the world, that sacred forest is indeed the foremost, O best of kings.
यत्र प्रविष्टमात्रो वै पापेभ्यो विप्रमुच्यते । अर्चयित्वा पितॄन्देवान्प्रयतो नियताशनः
There, merely by entering, one is freed from sins; worshipping ancestors and gods with purity and regulated food.
सर्वकामसमृद्धस्य यज्ञस्य फलमश्नुते । प्रादक्षिण्यं ततः कृत्वा ययातिपतनं व्रजेत्
He enjoys the fruit of a sacrifice that fulfills all desires; after making a circumambulation there, he should go to Yayāti's descent.
हयमेधस्य यज्ञस्य फलमाप्नोति तत्र वै । महाकालमतो गच्छेन्नियतो नियताशनः
There, he attains the fruit of the horse sacrifice; then, with discipline and regulated food, he should go to Mahākāla.
कोटितीर्थमुपस्पृश्य हयमेधफलं लभेत् । ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ स्थानं तीर्थमुमापतेः
Touching the Koṭitīrtha, he obtains the fruit of the horse sacrifice; then, O knower of dharma, he should go to the place, the tīrtha of Umāpati.
नाम्ना भद्रवटं नाम त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । तत्राभिगम्य चेशानं गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
By name, it is called Bhadravaṭa, renowned in the three worlds; arriving there and approaching Īśāna, one obtains the fruit of a thousand cows.
महादेवप्रसादाच्च गाणपत्यमवाप्नुयात् । समृद्धमसपत्नं तु श्रियायुक्तं नरोत्तम
And by the grace of Mahādeva, he attains the state of Gaṇapati; abundant, without rival, and endowed with prosperity, O best of men.
नर्मदां तु समासाद्य नदीं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुताम् । तर्पयित्वा पितॄन्देवानग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
Reaching the Narmadā river, famed throughout the three worlds, and offering libations to ancestors and gods, he obtains the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- वसिष्ठेन दिलीपाय कथितं तीर्थमुत्तमम् । नर्मदेति च विख्यातं पापपर्वतदारणम्
Yudhiṣṭhira said: Vasiṣṭha told Dilīpa about the supreme tīrtha, known as Narmadā, which destroys the mountain of sin.
भूयश्च श्रोतुमिच्छामि तन्मे कथय नारद । नर्मदायाश्च माहात्म्यं वसिष्ठोक्तं द्विजोत्तम
I wish to hear more about this; tell me, O Nārada, the greatness of Narmadā as spoken by Vasiṣṭha, O best of twice-born.
कथमेषा महापुण्या नदी सर्वत्र विश्रुता । नर्मदानाम विख्याता तन्मम ब्रूहिनारद
How did this supremely meritorious river, renowned everywhere, come to be known as Narmadā? Tell me this, O Nārada.
नारद उवाच-। नर्मदा सरितां श्रेष्ठा सर्वपापप्रणाशिनी । तारयेत्सर्वभूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च
Nārada said: Narmadā is the best of rivers, destroyer of all sins; she delivers all beings, both immobile and mobile.
नर्मदायास्तु माहात्म्यं वसिष्ठोक्तं मया श्रुतम् । तदेतद्धि महाराज सर्वं हि कथयामि ते
I have heard the greatness of Narmadā as spoken by Vasiṣṭha; O great king, I will now tell you all of it.
पुण्या कनखले गङ्गा कुरुक्षेत्रे सरस्वती । ग्रामे वा यदि वारण्ये पुण्या सर्वत्र नर्म्मदा
The Gaṅgā is holy at Kanakhala, Sarasvatī at Kurukṣetra; but whether in village or forest, Narmadā is holy everywhere.
त्रिभिः सारस्वतं तोयं सप्ताहेन तु यामुनम् । सद्यः पुनाति गांगेयं दर्शनादेव नार्मदम्
The water of Sarasvatī purifies in three days, that of Yamunā in seven; but the water of Gaṅgā purifies instantly, and Narmadā by mere sight.
कलिंग देशे पश्चार्द्धे पर्वतेऽमरकंटके । पुण्या च त्रिषु लोकेषु रमणीया मनोरमा
In the western part of Kaliṅga land, on the mountain Amarakāṇṭaka, she is holy in all three worlds, delightful and charming.
सदेवासुरगंधर्वा ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः । तपस्तप्त्वा महाराज सिद्धिं च परमां गताः
There, gods, asuras, gandharvas, and sages rich in austerity, O great king, performed penance and attained supreme accomplishment.
तत्र स्नात्वा महाराज नियमस्थो जितेंद्रियः । उपोष्य रजनीमेकां कुलानां तारयेच्छतम्
There, O great king, one who bathes with discipline and controlled senses, and fasts for one night, delivers a hundred families.
जनेश्वरे नरः स्नात्वा पिंडं दत्वा यथाविधि । पितरस्तस्य तृप्यंति यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्
At Janeśvara, a man who bathes and offers piṇḍa as prescribed, his ancestors are satisfied until the end of creation.
पर्वतस्य समंतात्तु रुद्रकोटिः प्रतिष्ठिता । स्नानं यः कुरुते तत्र गंधमाल्यानुलेपनम्
Around the mountain stands Rudrakoṭi; whoever bathes there, applying fragrant unguents and garlands,
प्रीता तस्य भवेत्सर्वा रुद्रकोटिर्न संशयः । पर्वते पश्चिमस्यांते स्वयं देवो महेश्वरः
All of Rudrakoṭi is pleased with him, without doubt; at the western end of the mountain, the god Maheśvara himself is present.
तत्र स्नात्वा शुचिर्भूत्वा ब्रह्मचारी जितेंद्रियः । पितृकार्यं तु कुर्वीत विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा
There, after bathing, becoming pure, observing celibacy and self-control, one should perform ancestral rites with actions prescribed by rule.
तिलोदकेन तत्रैव तर्पयेत्पितृदेवताः । आसप्तमं कुलं तस्य स्वर्गे तिष्ठति पांडव
There, with water mixed with sesame, one should satisfy the ancestors and deities; up to the seventh generation, his lineage dwells in heaven, O Pāṇḍava.
षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । अप्सरोगणसंकीर्णो दिव्यस्त्रीपरिवारितः
For sixty thousand years, he is honored in heaven, surrounded by groups of apsarās and attended by celestial women.