उमया सहितो रुद्रस्तेषां तुष्टो वरप्रदः । विमोक्षयित्वा तान्सर्वान्नर्म्मदातटमास्थितान्
Rudra, together with Uma, being pleased, granted them boons; having liberated all those dwelling on the bank of the Narmada.
तस्य तीर्थप्रभावेण पुनर्देवत्वमागतः । त्वत्प्रसादान्महादेव तीर्थं च भवतूत्तमम्
By the power of that sacred place, he regained divinity; by your grace, O Great God, may this sacred place be supreme.
अर्धयोजनविस्तीर्णं तीर्थं दिक्षु समंततः । तस्मिंस्तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा उपवासपरायणः
The sacred place extends half a yojana in all directions; whoever bathes there, devoted to fasting,
कुसुमायुधरूपेण रुद्रलोके महीयते । वैश्वानरे यमेनैव कामदेवेन वायवे
Is honored in the world of Rudra in the form of the Lord of Flowers; by Agni, by Yama, by Kamadeva, and by Vayu.
तपस्तप्त्वा तु राजेंद्र तत्रैव च पुरागतैः । अंधोनस्य समीपे तु नातिदूरे तु तस्य वै
Having performed austerities there, O King, along with those who came before, near Andhona, not far from it,
स्नानं दानं च तत्रैव भोजनं पिंडपातनम् । अग्निवेशे जले वापि अथवापि अनाशने
Bathing, giving gifts, eating, and offering rice balls are to be done there, whether in the presence of fire, in water, or even by fasting.
अनिवर्तिका गतिस्तस्य मृतस्याप्यर्द्धयोजने । त्रैयंबकेण तोयेन स्नापयेन्नरपुंगवः
Even for one who has died within half a yojana, the path is irreversible; the best of men should bathe him with the water of Triambaka.
अंधोनमूले दत्वा तु पिंडं चैव यथाविधि । पितरस्तस्य तृप्यंति यावच्चंद्र दिवाकरौ
By offering the rice ball properly at the root of Andhona, his ancestors are satisfied as long as the moon and sun endure.
उत्तरायणे तु संप्राप्ते तत्र स्नानं करोति यः । पुरुषो वापि स्त्री वापि वसेदायतने शुचिः
When the northern solstice arrives, whoever bathes there—man or woman—and dwells in the holy abode with purity,
सिद्धेश्वरस्य देवस्य प्रभाते पूजनान्नरः । स तां गतिमवाप्नोति न तां सर्वैर्महामखैः
By worshipping the god Siddheshvara in the morning, a person attains that state which cannot be gained by all the great sacrifices.
यदा च तीर्थकालेन रूपवान्सुभगो भवेत् । मर्त्ये भवति राजासावासमुद्रांतगोचरे
When, at the proper time for the sacred place, one becomes handsome and fortunate, that king is born among mortals within the bounds of the ocean.
क्षेत्रपालं न पश्येच्च दंडपालं महाबलम् । वृथा तस्य भवेद्यात्रा अदृष्ट्वा कर्णकुंडलम्
If he does not see the field-guardian or the mighty rod-bearer, his pilgrimage is in vain, not seeing the one with ear-ornaments.
एतत्तीर्थफलं ज्ञात्वा सर्वेदेवाः समागताः । मुंचंति पुष्पवृष्टिं तु स्तुवंति कुसुमेश्वरम्
Knowing this fruit of the sacred place, all the gods assemble, showering a rain of flowers and praising the Lord of Flowers.
नारद उवाच- भार्गवेशं ततो गच्छेद्भक्त्या यत्र च विष्णुना । हुंकारितास्तु देवेन दानवाः प्रलयं गताः
Narada said: Then one should go with devotion to Bhargavesha, where the demons, rebuked by the god Vishnu, met their destruction.
तत्र स्नात्वा तु राजेंद्र सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते । शुक्लतीर्थस्य चोत्पत्तिं शृणु त्वं पांडुनंदन
There, O King, by bathing, one is freed from all sins; now hear from me, O son of Pandu, the origin of the holy place called Shukla Tirtha.
हिमवच्छिखरे रम्ये नानाधातुविचित्रिते । तरुणादित्यसंकाशे तप्तकांचनसंनिभे
On the beautiful peak of the Himalayas, adorned with various minerals, shining like the rising sun, and resembling molten gold,
वज्रस्फटिकसोपाने चित्रपट्टशिलातले । जांबूनदमये दिव्ये नाना पद्मोपशोभिते
With steps of crystal and diamond, on a floor of intricately patterned stone, made of divine Jambunada gold, and embellished with many kinds of lotuses,
तत्रासीनं महादेवं सर्वज्ञं प्रभुमव्ययम् । लोकानुग्राहकं शांतं गणवृंदैः समावृतम्
There sat the great god Mahadeva, the all-knowing, the eternal Lord, the benefactor of the worlds, peaceful, surrounded by hosts of attendants.
स्कंदनंदिमहाकालैर्वीरभद्र गणादिभिः । उमया सहितं देवं मार्कंडः परिपृच्छति
With Skanda, Nandi, Mahakala, Virabhadra, and other attendants, together with Uma, the god was questioned by Markandeya.
देवदेव महादेव इन्द्र कामादि संस्तुत । संसारभवभीतोहं सुखोपायं ब्रवीहि मे
"O God of gods, great Lord, praised by Indra and others for fulfilling desires, I am afraid of the suffering of worldly existence—tell me the means to happiness."
भगवन्भूतभव्येश सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । तीर्थानां परमं तीर्थं तद्वदस्व महेश्वर
"O Blessed One, Lord of past and future, destroyer of all sins, tell me, O Maheshvara, about the supreme holy place among all sacred places."
ईश्वर उवाच- शृणुविप्र महाभाग सर्वशास्त्रविशारद । स्नानादि कुरु गच्छ त्वं ऋषिसंघैस्समावृतः
Ishvara said: "Listen, O fortunate sage, expert in all the scriptures; perform bathing and other rites, and go there surrounded by groups of sages."
मन्वत्रि याज्ञवल्क्याश्च काश्यपश्चैव अंगिराः । यमापस्तंब संवर्ताः कात्यायनबृहस्पती
Manu, Atri, Yajnavalkya, Kashyapa, Angiras, Yama, Apastamba, Samvarta, Katyayana, and Brihaspati—
नारदो गौतमश्चैव पृच्छंति धर्मकांक्षिणः । गंगाकनखले पुण्या प्रयागं पुष्करं गया
Narada and Gautama, too, desiring righteousness, ask about the holy places: Ganga at Kanakhala, Prayaga, Pushkara, and Gaya.
कुरुक्षेत्रं तु पुण्यं च राहुग्रस्ते दिवाकरे । दिवा वा यदि वा रात्रौ शुक्लतीर्थं महाफलम्
And the sacred Kurukshetra, when the sun is eclipsed by Rahu, whether by day or by night, Shukla Tirtha yields great merit.
दर्शनात्स्पर्शनाच्चैव स्नानाद्ध्यानात्तपोर्जनात् । होमाच्चैवोपवासाच्च शुक्लतीर्थफलं महत्
By seeing, touching, bathing, meditating, performing austerities, making offerings, and fasting, one attains the great fruit of Shukla Tirtha.
शुक्लतीर्थं महापुण्यं नद्यां तु संव्यवस्थितम् । चाणिक्योनाम राजर्षिः सिद्धिं तत्र समागतः
Shukla Tirtha, of great merit, is established on the river; there, the royal sage named Chanika attained perfection.
एतत्क्षेत्रं समुत्पन्नं योजनावृत्तिसंस्थितम् । शुक्लतीर्थं महापुण्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्
This holy field has arisen, extending for a yojana in circumference; Shukla Tirtha, of great merit, destroys all sins.
पादपाग्रेण दृष्टेन ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति । अहमत्र ऋषिश्रेष्ठ तिष्ठामि ह्युमया सह
By seeing it even with the tip of one's foot, one is freed from the sin of killing a Brahmin; here, O best of sages, I dwell together with Uma.
वैशाखे विमले मासि कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दशी । कैलासाच्चापि निर्गत्य तत्र संनिहितो ह्यहम्
In the pure month of Vaishakha, on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight, I come here from Kailasa and am present there.