गच्छंत्यंतर्हिता यत्र मेरुपृष्ठे सरस्वती । चमसे च शिवोद्भेदे नागोद्भेदे च दृश्यते
There, where the hidden Sarasvatī flows on the summit of Meru, she is seen at Camasa, at Śivodbheda, and at Nāgodbheda.
स्नात्वा तु चमसोद्भेदे अग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत् । शिवोद्भेदे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
By bathing at Camasodbheda, one obtains the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice; by bathing at Śivodbheda, a man gains the merit of giving a thousand cows.
नागोद्भेदे नरः स्नात्वा नागलोकमवाप्नुयात् । शशयानं च राजेंद्र तीर्थमासाद्य दुर्लभम्
By bathing at Nāgodbheda, a man attains the world of the Nāgas; and, O king, reaching the rare tīrtha called Śaśayāna.
शशरूपप्रतिच्छन्ना पुष्करा यत्र भारत । सरस्वत्यां महाभाग अनुसंवत्सरंहिते
There, O Bhārata, the Puṣkara is concealed in the form of a hare, where the blessed Sarasvatī remains for a year.
स्नायंते भरतश्रेष्ठ वृत्ता वै कार्त्तिकीं सदा । तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र द्योतते शिववत्सदा
There, O best of the Bharatas, people always bathe, especially on the full moon of Kārttikā; by bathing there, O tiger among men, one shines like Śiva.
गोसहस्रफलं चैव प्राप्नुयाद्भरतर्षभ । कुमारकोटिमासाद्य नियतः कुरुनंदन
And, O bull among the Bharatas, one obtains the merit of giving a thousand cows; having reached Kumārakoṭi with discipline, O delight of the Kurus.
तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत पितृदेवार्चने रतः । गवामयुतमाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत्
There, one should perform ablution, devoted to the worship of ancestors and gods; he obtains ten thousand cows and uplifts his lineage.
ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ रुद्रकोटिं समाहिताः । पुरा यत्र महाराज ऋषिकोटिः समाहिता
Then, O knower of dharma, with concentrated mind, one should go to Rudrakoṭi, where formerly the multitude of sages gathered, O great king.
वर्षेण च समाविष्टा देवदर्शनकांक्षया । अहंपूर्वमहंपूर्वं द्रक्ष्यामि वृषभध्वजम्
For a year, desiring a vision of the gods, they remained there, each thinking, 'I will see the Bull-bannered One first.'
एवं संप्रस्थिता राजनृषयः किलभारत । ततो योगीश्वरेणापि योगमास्थाय भूपते
Thus, O king, the sages set out, O Bhārata; then, O lord of the earth, even the lord of yogis, having taken up yoga.
तेषां मन्युप्रशांत्यर्थमृषीणां भावितात्मनाम् । सृष्टा तु कोटिरुद्राणामृषीणामग्रतः स्थिता
For the appeasement of the anger of those sages of purified minds, a crore of Rudras was created, standing before the sages.
मया पूर्वं हरो दृष्टो इति ते मेनिरे पृथक् । तेषां तुष्टो महादेव ऋषीणामुग्रतेजसाम्
Each of them thought, 'I saw Hara first'; and the great god, pleased with those sages of fierce energy.
भक्त्या परमया राजन्वरं तेषां प्रदत्तवान् । अद्यप्रभृति युष्माकं धर्मवृद्धिर्भविष्यति
With supreme devotion, O King, he granted them a boon; from this day forward, your righteousness will increase.
तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र रुद्रकोट्यां नरः शुचिः । अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत्
There, after bathing in Rudrakoṭi, a pure man attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice and uplifts his entire lineage.
ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र संगमं लोकविश्रुतम् । सरस्वत्यां महापुण्यमुपासीत जनार्दनम्
Then, O King, one should go to the renowned confluence, and on the sacred Sarasvatī, worship Janārdana.
यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः । अभिगच्छंति राजेंद्र चैत्रशुक्लचतुर्दशीम्
There, O King, Brahmā and the other gods, sages, siddhas, and celestial beings gather on the fourteenth day of the bright half of Caitra.
तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र विंदेद्बहुसुवर्णकम् । सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा शिवलोकं च गच्छति
There, after bathing, O tiger among men, one finds much gold, becomes purified of all sins, and attains the realm of Śiva.
ऋषीणां यत्र सत्राणि समाप्तानि नराधिप । तत्रावसानमासाद्य गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
Where the sacrifices of the sages have been completed, O ruler of men, upon reaching that conclusion, one obtains the fruit of a thousand cows.
नारदउवाच-। ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र कुरुक्षेत्रमभिष्टुतम् । पापेभ्यो विप्रमुच्यंते तद्गताः सर्वजंतवः
Nārada said: Then, O King, one should go to the highly praised Kurukṣetra; all beings who go there are freed from sins.
कुरुक्षेत्रं गमिष्यामि कुरुक्षेत्रे वसाम्यहम् । य एवं सततं ब्रूयात्सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
If one says, 'I will go to Kurukṣetra, I dwell in Kurukṣetra,' in this way always, he is freed from all sins.
तत्र मासं वसेद्धीरः सरस्वत्यां नराधिप । यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा यत्र ब्रह्मर्षिचारणाः
There, a steadfast person should dwell for a month on the Sarasvatī, O ruler of men, where Brahmā and the other gods, and the Brahmarṣis and celestial beings are present.
गंधर्वाप्सरसो यक्षाः पन्नगाश्च महीपते । ब्रह्मक्षेत्रं महापुण्यमभिगच्छंति भारत
Gandharvas, apsarases, yakṣas, and serpents, O King, go to that supremely holy Brahma-kshetra, O Bhārata.
मनसाप्यभिकामस्य कुरुक्षेत्रे युधिष्ठिर । पापानि विप्रणश्यंति ब्रह्मलोकं च गच्छति
Even one who desires it only in his mind, O Yudhiṣṭhira, in Kurukṣetra, his sins are destroyed and he attains the world of Brahmā.
गत्वा हि श्रद्धया युक्तः कुरुक्षेत्रं कुरूद्वह । वाजपेयाश्वमेध्याभ्यां फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः
Having gone there with faith, O best of the Kurus, a man attains the fruit of both the Vājapeya and Aśvamedha sacrifices.
ततो मत्तर्णकं राजन्द्वारपालं महाबलम् । यं वै समभिवाद्यैव गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
Then, O King, one should approach Mattarṇaka, the mighty gatekeeper; simply by greeting him, one obtains the fruit of a thousand cows.
ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ विष्णोः स्थानमनुत्तमम् । सततं नाम राजेंद्र यत्र सन्निहितो हरिः
Then, O knower of dharma, one should go to the supreme abode of Viṣṇu, where Hari is always present, O King.
तत्र स्नात्वा च दृष्ट्वा च त्रिलोकप्रभवं हरिम् । अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति विष्णुलोकं च गच्छति
There, after bathing and beholding Hari, the source of the three worlds, one attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha and goes to Viṣṇu's realm.
ततः पारिप्लवं गच्छेत्तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् । अग्निष्टोमातिरात्राभ्यां फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः
After that, one should go to Pāriplava, the holy place renowned throughout the three worlds; a man attains the fruit of Agniṣṭoma and Atirātra sacrifices.
पृथिव्यां तीर्थमासाद्य गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । ततः शाल्विकिनीं गत्वा तीर्थसेवी नराधिप
Having reached the holy place on earth, one obtains the fruit of a thousand cows; then, going to Śālvikinī, the devotee of holy places, O ruler of men—
दशाश्वमेधिके स्नात्वा तदेव लभते फलम् । सर्पनीविं समासाद्य नागानां तीर्थमुत्तमम्
Bathing at Daśāśvamedhika, one obtains that very fruit; upon reaching Sarpanīvi, the supreme holy place of the serpents—