अनाशनं तु यः कुर्यात्तस्मिंस्तीर्थे नराधिप । गर्भवासे तु राजेंद्र न पुनर्जायते नरः
O king, whoever observes a fast at that sacred place is not born again in the womb, O lord of men.
ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र अटवीतीर्थमुत्तमम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्निंद्रस्यार्द्धासनंलभेत्
Then, O king, one should go to the excellent forest sanctuary; there, after bathing, a man attains a seat beside Indra.
शृंगतीर्थं ततो गच्छेत्सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । तत्रापि स्नातमात्रस्य ध्रुवं गाणेश्वरी गतिः
After that, one should go to Śṛṅga-tīrtha, the destroyer of all sins; there too, merely by bathing, one surely attains the realm of Gaṇeśvarī.
एरंडीनर्मदायाश्च संगमं लोकविश्रुतम् । तत्र तीर्थं महापुण्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्
There is the famous confluence of Eraṇḍī and Narmadā, a great and renowned sacred place, the destroyer of all sins.
उपवासपरो भूत्वा नित्यं ब्रह्मपरायणः । तत्र स्नात्वा तु राजेंद्र मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया
By being devoted to fasting and always intent on Brahman, O king, one who bathes there is freed from the sin of killing a Brahmin.
ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र नर्मदोदधिसंगमम् । जमदग्निरिति ख्यातं सिद्धो यत्र जनार्दनः
Then, O king, one should go to the confluence of the Narmadā and the ocean, known as Jamadagni, where Janārdana attained perfection.
यत्रेष्ट्वा बहुभिर्यज्ञैरिंद्रो देवाधिपोभवत् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्नर्मदोदधिसंगमे
There, having performed many sacrifices, Indra became lord of the gods; O king, by bathing at the confluence of Narmadā and the ocean—
त्रिगुणस्याश्वमेधस्य फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः । पश्चिमोदधिसायुज्यं मुक्तिद्वारविघाटनम्
A person obtains the fruit of three Aśvamedha sacrifices and union with the western ocean, opening the gateway to liberation.
तत्र देवाः सगंधर्वा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः । आराधयंति देवेशं त्रिसंध्यं विमलेश्वरम्
There, the gods with the Gandharvas, the seers, the perfected beings, and the celestial bards worship the Lord of gods, Vimaleśvara, at the three junctions of the day.
सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा रुद्रलोके महीयते । विमलेश्वरपरं तीर्थं न भूतं न भविष्यति
One whose soul is purified from all sins is honored in Rudra's world; there has never been, nor will there be, a sacred place greater than Vimaleśvara.
तत्रोपवासं कृत्वा ये पश्यंति विमलेश्वरम् । सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा रुद्रलोकं व्रजंति ते
Those who fast there and behold Vimaleśvara, their souls purified from all sins, go to the world of Rudra.
ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र केशिनीतीर्थमुत्तमम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्नुपवासपरायणः
Then, O king, one should go to the excellent Keśinī sanctuary; there, a man who bathes, devoted to fasting—
उपोष्य रजनीमेकां नियतो नियताशनः । तत्र तीर्थप्रभावेण मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया
Having observed a single night in fasting, with self-control and regulated food, by the power of that sacred place, is freed from the sin of killing a Brahmin.
सर्वतीर्थाभिषेकं च यः पश्येत्सागरेश्वरम् । योजनाभ्यंतरे तिष्ठेदावर्ते संस्थितः शिवः
Whoever witnesses the bathing of all the sacred places at Sāgareśvara, where Śiva stands within two yojanas in the whirlpool—
तं दृष्ट्वा सर्वतीर्थानि दृष्टानि स्युर्न संशयः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो यत्र रुद्र सः गच्छति
Having seen him, all the sacred places are considered seen, without doubt; freed from all sins, one goes to Rudra there.
नर्मदासंगमं यावद्यावच्चामरकंटकम् । तत्रांतरे महाराजन्तीर्थकोट्योदकस्थिताः
From the confluence of the Narmadā up to Amarakaṇṭaka, O great king, within that stretch are crores of sacred waters.
तीर्थात्तीर्थाटनं चर्या ऋषिकोटिनिषेविता । अग्निहोत्रैश्च दिव्यांशैः सर्वैर्ज्ञानपरायणैः
Pilgrimage to holy places, the practice of wandering among them, as observed by hosts of sages, and all the divine rites of Agnihotra performed by those devoted to knowledge—
सेवितास्तेन राजेंद्र ईप्सितार्थप्रदायिकाः । यश्चेदं वै पठेन्नित्यं शृणुयाद्वापि भक्तितः
—these have been undertaken, O King, by those who grant the desired fruits; and whoever recites this daily, or listens to it with devotion—
तं तु तीर्थानि सर्वाणि अभिषिंचंति पांडव । नर्मदा च सदा प्रीता भवेद्वै नात्र संशयः
—all the sacred places anoint that person, O son of Pandu, and Narmada herself is always pleased with him; of this there is no doubt.
प्रीतस्तस्य भवेद्रुद्रो मार्कंडेयो महामुनिः । वंध्या च लभते पुत्रान्दुर्भगा सुभगाभवेत्
Rudra becomes pleased with him, as does the great sage Markandeya; a barren woman obtains sons, and the unfortunate becomes fortunate.
कुमारीं लभते भर्त्ता यच्च यो वाञ्छते फलम् । तदेव लभते सर्वं नात्र कार्या विचारणा
A maiden gains a husband, and whatever fruit one desires, that indeed is obtained in full; there should be no doubt about this.
ब्राह्मणो वेदमाप्नोति क्षत्रियो विजयी भवेत् । वैश्यस्तु लभते धान्यं शूद्रः प्राप्नोति सद्गतिम्
A Brahmin attains the Veda, a Kshatriya becomes victorious, a Vaishya gains wealth, and a Shudra attains a good state.
मूर्खस्तु लभते विद्यां त्रिसंध्यं यः पठेन्नरः । नरकं च न पश्येत वियोनिं च न गच्छति
A fool acquires knowledge, whoever recites this at the three junctions of the day; he does not see hell, nor is he born in a lower womb.
नारद उवाच- एवं ते कथितं राजन्नर्मदातीर्थमुत्तमम् । पुरा गंधर्वकन्यानां शापजं भयमुल्बणम्
Narada said: Thus, O King, I have told you of the supreme holy place of Narmada, and of the terrible fear born from the curse of the Gandharva maidens in ancient times.
नाशितं तन्महाराज रेवाजलकणाग्निना । रेवाजलकणस्पर्शान्मुक्तो भवति मानवः
That was destroyed, O great king, by the fire of the drops of Reva's water; by the touch of Reva's water-drops, a person is freed.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- भगवन्बहुकन्याभिः शापो लंभि कथं कुतः । कस्यापत्यानि तास्तासां नाम किं कीदृशं वयः
Yudhishthira said: O Lord, how and why did the curse fall upon so many maidens? Whose daughters were they, what were their names, what was their age?
कथं रेवाजलस्पर्शाद्विपाकाच्छापसंभवात् । विमुक्ताः कुत्र ताः सस्नुः सर्वं मे कथय प्रभो
How were they freed from the curse by the touch of Reva's water, and where did they bathe? Tell me everything, O Lord.
नर्मदातीर्थमाहात्म्यं चमत्कारकरं भवेत् । श्रवणादपि पापानां मलनाशनमुच्यते
The glory of Narmada's holy place is truly wondrous; even by hearing it, the stains of sins are said to be destroyed.
नर्मदानर्मदाशब्दो येन केनचिदुच्यते । तस्य स्याच्छाश्वती मुक्तिर्यावदाचंद्र तारकम्
Whoever utters the name 'Narmada' or 'Narmada river' in any way, for him there is eternal liberation, as long as the moon and stars endure.
व्याहृतं भवता पूर्वं रेवामाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । तथापि चरितं साधो यदेतत्तन्निगद्यताम्
You have previously described to me the supreme glory of Reva; yet, O holy one, tell again the story, as it is.