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.
दिव्यगंधानुलिप्तश्च दिव्यालंकारभूषितः । ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो जायते विपुले कुले
Anointed with divine fragrances, adorned with celestial ornaments, then, after falling from heaven, he is born in a great family.
धनवान्दानशीलश्च धार्मिकश्चैव जायते । पुनः स्मरति तत्तीर्थं गमनं तत्र कुर्वते
He is born wealthy, generous, and righteous; he remembers again his pilgrimage to that holy place.
तारयित्वा कुलशतं रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति । योजनानां शतं साग्रं श्रूयते सरिदुत्तमा
After delivering a hundred families, he goes to the world of Rudra; this best of rivers is said to extend a little over a hundred yojanas.
विस्तारेण तु राजेन्द्र योजनद्वयमंतरम् । षष्टितीर्थसहस्राणि षष्टिकोट्यस्तथैव च
In breadth, O king of kings, it spans two yojanas; there are sixty thousand holy places, and likewise sixty crores.
पर्वतस्य समंतात्तु तिष्ठंत्यमरकंटके । ब्रह्मचारी शुचिर्भूत्वा जितक्रोधो जितेंद्रियः
On all sides of the mountain, at Amarakantaka, one should remain as a celibate, pure, with anger subdued and senses controlled.
सर्वहिंसानिवृत्तश्च सर्वभूतहिते रतः । एवं सर्वसमाचारः क्षेत्रपालान्परिव्रजेत्
Having renounced all violence and devoted to the welfare of all beings, thus conducting oneself in every way, one should approach the guardians of the region.
तस्य पुण्यफलं राजन्शृणुष्वावहितो हि मे । शतं वर्षसहस्राणां स्वर्गे मोदेत पांडव
Hear from me, O King, with attention, the merit obtained by such a person: for a hundred thousand years, O Pandava, he enjoys happiness in heaven.
अप्सरोगणसंकीर्णे दिव्यस्त्रीपरिचारिते । दिव्यगंधानुलिप्तश्च दिव्यालंकारभूषितः
Surrounded by groups of Apsarases, attended by celestial women, anointed with divine fragrances and adorned with celestial ornaments,
क्रीडते देवलोके तु दैवतैः सह मोदते । ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो राजा भवति वीर्यवान्
He sports in the world of the gods and delights together with the deities; then, when he falls from heaven, he is born as a powerful king.
नारद उवाच- नर्मदा तु नदीश्रेष्ठा पुण्या पुण्यतमा त्रिषु । मुनिभिस्तु महाभागैर्विभक्ता धर्मकांक्षिभिः
Narada said: The Narmada is the foremost of rivers, most holy among the three, divided by great sages who desire righteousness.