अग्निष्टोममवाप्नोति नागलोकं च गच्छति । ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ द्वारपालमतर्णकम्
He attains the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice and goes to the world of serpents; then, O knower of dharma, he should proceed to the gatekeeper Atarṇaka.
तत्रोष्य रजनीमेकां गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । ततःपंचनदंगत्वानियतोनियताशनः
There, staying for one night, he obtains the merit equal to a thousand cows; then, proceeding to Pañcanada, with controlled conduct and regulated food—
कोटितीर्थमुपस्पृश्य हयमेधफलं लभेत् । अश्विनीतीर्थमागम्य रूपवानभिजायते
By touching the Koṭitīrtha, he gains the fruit of the Aśvamedha sacrifice; arriving at the Aśvinī tīrtha, he is born possessing beauty.
ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ वाराहं तीर्थमुत्तमम् । विष्णुर्वाराहरूपेण पुरा यत्र स्थितोऽभवत्
Then, O knower of dharma, he should go to the excellent Vārāha tīrtha, where Viṣṇu once stood in the form of a boar.
तत्र स्थित्वा नरव्याघ्र अग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत् । ततो जयिन्यां राजेंद्र सोमतीर्थं समाविशेत्
There, remaining, O tiger among men, he obtains the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice; then, O king, he should enter the Soma tīrtha at Jayinī.
स्नात्वा फलमवाप्नोति राजसूयस्य मानवः । एकहंसे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
By bathing there, a man attains the fruit of the Rājasūya sacrifice; by bathing at Ekahaṃsa, a man obtains the merit of a thousand cows.
कृतशौचं समासाद्य तीर्थसेवी कुरूद्वह । पुंडरीकमवाप्नोति कृतशौचो भवेच्च सः
Having performed purification, O best of the Kurus, the devotee of tīrthas attains Puṇḍarīka, and he becomes purified.
ततो मुंजावटं नाम महादेवस्य धीमतः । तत्रोष्य रजनीमेकां गाणपत्यमवाप्नुयात्
Then, the place called Muñjāvaṭa, belonging to the wise Mahādeva; staying there for one night, he attains the favor of Gaṇapati.
तत्रैव च महाराज जयां लोकपरिश्रुताम् । स्नात्वाभिगम्य राजेंद्र सर्वकाममवाप्नुयात्
There itself, O great king, is the renowned Jayā; by bathing and approaching, O king, one attains all desires.
कुरुक्षेत्रस्य तद्द्वारं विश्रुतं भरतर्षभ । प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य तीर्थसेवी समावृतः
That is the famous gateway of Kurukṣetra, O best of the Bharatas; having circumambulated it, the devotee of tīrthas is fulfilled.
संस्मृते पुष्कराणां तु स्नात्वार्च्य पितृदेवताः । जामदग्न्येन रामेण आहूते वै महात्मना
Remembering the Puṣkaras, and having bathed and worshipped the ancestors and the gods, as summoned by the great-souled Rāma, son of Jamadagni—
कृतकृत्यो भवेद्राजन्नश्वमेधं च विंदति । ततो रामह्रदं गच्छेत्तीर्थसेवी नराधिप
He becomes one who has accomplished his purpose, O king, and obtains the fruit of the Aśvamedha; then, the devotee of tīrthas should go to Rāmahrada.
यत्र रामेण राजेंद्र तरसा दीप्ततेजसा । क्षत्रमुत्सार्य वीर्येण ह्रदाः पंच निषेविताः । पूरयित्वा नरव्याघ्र रुधिरेणेति नः श्रुतम्
There, O king, where Rāma, with blazing energy, by his might drove away the kṣatriyas and frequented five lakes, filling them, O tiger among men, with blood—as we have heard.
पितरस्तर्पिताः सर्वे तथैव प्रपितामहाः । ततस्ते पितरः प्रीताः राममूचुर्महीपते
All the ancestors, as well as the great-grandfathers, were satisfied there; then those pleased ancestors spoke to Rāma, O king.
रामराम महाभाग प्रीताः स्म तव भार्गव । अनया पितृभक्त्या च विक्रमेण च तेऽनघ
"Rāma, Rāma, highly fortunate one, we are pleased with you, O Bhārgava, by this devotion to ancestors and by your valor, O sinless one."
वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते किमिच्छसि महामते । एवमुक्तः स राजेंद्र रामः प्रवदतां वरः
"Choose a boon, good fortune to you—what do you desire, O great-minded one?" Thus addressed, O king, Rāma, best of speakers, said—
अब्रवीत्प्रांजलिर्वाक्यं पितॄन्स गगने स्थितान् । भवंतो यदि मे प्रीता यद्यनुग्राह्यता मयि
With joined palms, he spoke these words to the ancestors standing in the sky: "If you are pleased with me, if I am worthy of your favor—
पितृप्रसादादिच्छेयं तपसाप्यायनं पुनः । यच्च रोषाभिभूतेन क्षत्रमुत्सादितं मया
"By the grace of the ancestors, may I obtain renewal through austerity; and as for the kṣatriyas whom I destroyed, overcome by anger—"
ततश्च पापान्मुच्येयं युष्माकं तेजसा ह्यहम् । ह्रदाश्च तीर्थभूता मे भवेयुर्भुवि विश्रुताः
Then, by your radiance, I shall be freed from sins, and my lakes will become renowned as sacred places on earth.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा शुभं वाक्यं रामस्य पितरस्तदा । प्रत्यूचुः परमप्रीता रामं तोषसमन्विताः
Hearing these auspicious words of Rāma, his ancestors, filled with supreme delight and satisfaction, replied to him.
तपस्ते वर्द्धतां भूयः पितृभक्त्या विशेषतः । यच्च रोषाभिभूतेन क्षत्रमुत्सादितं त्वया
May your ascetic power increase further, especially through your devotion to your ancestors; and as for the kṣatriya race that you destroyed in anger—
ततश्च पापान्मुक्तस्त्वं निहतास्ते स्वकर्म्मणा । ह्रदाश्च तव तीर्थत्वं गमिष्यंति न संशयः
Thus, you are freed from those sins, and those slain by you have met their fate through their own actions; your lakes will indeed become sacred for pilgrimage, without doubt.
ह्रदेष्वेतेषु यः स्नात्वा पितॄन्संतर्पयिष्यति । पितरस्तस्य वै प्रीता दास्यंति भुवि दुर्ल्लभम्
Whoever, having bathed in these lakes, offers libations to his ancestors, his forefathers, pleased, will grant him rare blessings on earth.
ईप्सितं मनसः कामं स्वर्गलोकं सशाश्वतम् । एवं दत्त्वा वरं राजन्रामस्य पितरस्तदा । आमंत्र्य भार्गवं प्रीतास्तत्रैवांतर्दधुस्ततः
He will obtain the desired wishes of his heart and the eternal heavenly realm; thus, having granted this boon, O King, Rāma's ancestors, after addressing Bhārgava with joy, disappeared there.
एवं रामह्रदाः पुण्या भार्गवस्य महात्मनः । स्नात्वा ह्रदेषु रामस्य ब्रह्मचारी शुभव्रतः
Thus, the sacred Rāma-lakes of the great-souled Bhārgava—one who bathes in Rāma's lakes, observing celibacy and pure vows—
राममभ्यर्च्य राजेंद्र लभेद्बहुसुवर्णकम् । वंशमूलं समासाद्य तीर्थसेवी कुरूद्वह
Having worshipped Rāma, O king, he attains abundant gold; reaching the root of his lineage, the devotee of holy places, O best of the Kurus—
स्ववंशमुद्धरेद्राजन्स्नात्वा वै वंशमूलके । कायशोधनमासाद्य तीर्थं भरतसत्तम
O king, by bathing at the root of his lineage, he uplifts his own family; attaining bodily purification, O best of the Bharatas, at the sacred site—
शरीरशुद्धिमाप्नोति स्नातस्तस्मिन्न संशयः । शुद्धदेहस्तु संयाति शुभाँल्लोकाननुत्तमान्
By bathing there, he attains bodily purity, without doubt; with a purified body, he reaches the most excellent auspicious worlds.
ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यदुर्लभम् । लोका यत्रोद्धृताः पूर्वं विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना
Then, O king, he should go to the sacred place rare even among the three worlds, where, in ancient times, the worlds were uplifted by mighty Viṣṇu.
लोकोद्धारं समासाद्य तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् । स्नात्वा तीर्थवरे राजन्लोकानुद्धरते स्वकान्
Having reached that sacred place, famed throughout the three worlds for uplifting the worlds, by bathing in that supreme tīrtha, O king, he uplifts his own ancestors.