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.
देवकिन्नरगंधर्वाः सिद्धविद्याधरास्तथा । गणाश्चाप्सरसो नागाः सर्वे देवाः समागताः
The gods, kinnaras, gandharvas, siddhas, vidyadharas, attendants, apsaras, nagas—all the deities assemble there.
गगनस्थास्तु तिष्ठंति विमानैः सर्वकामकैः । शुक्लतीर्थे तु राजेंद्र आगता धर्मकांक्षिणः
Those standing in the sky remain in aerial chariots fulfilling every desire; O King, all who seek righteousness come to Shukla Tirtha.
रजकेन यथा वस्त्रं शुक्लं भवति वारिणा । आजन्मसंचितं पापं शुक्लतीर्थे व्यपोहति
Just as a cloth becomes white when washed by a washerman, so the sins accumulated from birth are removed at the Śukla tīrtha.
स्नानं दानं महापुण्यं मार्कंड ऋषिसत्तम । शुक्लतीर्थात्परं तीर्थं न भूतं न भविष्यति
Bathing and giving charity at Śukla tīrtha, O eminent sage Mārkaṇḍa, are of great merit; there has never been, nor will there be, a tīrtha superior to Śukla.
पूर्वे वयसि कर्माणि कृत्वा पापानि मानवः । अहोरात्रोपवासेन शुक्लतीर्थे व्यपोहति
A person who has committed sinful deeds in youth can remove them at Śukla tīrtha by fasting day and night.
तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण यज्ञैर्दानेन वा पुनः । देवदानेन या पुष्टिर्न सा क्रतुशतैरपि
The nourishment gained through austerity, celibacy, sacrifices, or charity—even through gifts to the gods—cannot be achieved by hundreds of rituals.
कार्तिकस्य च मासस्य कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दशी । घृतेन स्नापयेद्देवमुपोष्य परमेश्वरम्
On the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Kārtika, one should bathe the supreme Lord with ghee, having fasted.
एकविंशत्कुलोपेतो न च्यवेच्चैश्वरात्पदात् । शुक्लतीर्थं परं तीर्थमृषिसिद्धनिषेवितम्
One who is accompanied by twenty-one families does not fall from the divine path; the supreme tīrtha, Śukla, is frequented by sages and perfected beings.
तत्र स्नात्वा ततो राजन्पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते । स्नात्वा वै शुक्लतीर्थेपि अर्चयेद्वृषभध्वजम्
Having bathed there, O king, one is not subject to rebirth; indeed, after bathing at Śukla tīrtha, one should worship the Lord bearing the bull emblem.
जागरं कारयेत्तत्र नृत्यगीतादिमंगलैः । प्रभाते शुक्लतीर्थे तु स्नानं वै देवतार्चनम्
One should keep vigil there with auspicious activities such as dance and song; at dawn, one should bathe at Śukla tīrtha and worship the deity.