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.
श्रीतीर्थं च समासाद्य विंदते श्रियमुत्तमाम् । कपिलातीर्थमासाद्य ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः
Having reached the Śrī-tīrtha, he attains supreme prosperity; and at the Kapilā-tīrtha, the devoted celibate—
तत्र स्नात्वार्चयित्वा च देवानिह पितॄंस्तथा । कपिलानां सहस्रस्य फलं विंदति मानवः
There, by bathing and worshipping the gods and also the ancestors, a man attains the merit of a thousand Kapilās.
सूर्यतीर्थं समासाद्य स्नात्वा नियतमानसः । अर्चयित्वा पितॄन्देवानुपवासपरायणः
Having reached the Sūrya-tīrtha, bathing with a controlled mind, worshipping the ancestors and gods, devoted to fasting—
अग्निष्टोममवाप्नोति सूर्यलोकं च गच्छति । गवांभवनमासाद्य तीर्थसेवी यथाक्रमम्
He attains the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice and goes to the world of the Sun; having reached the abode of cows, the devotee of tīrthas, in due order—
तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वाणो गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । गंगातीर्थं समासाद्य तीर्थसेवी नराधिप
There, performing ablutions, he obtains the fruit of a thousand cows; having reached the Gaṅgā-tīrtha, the devotee of tīrthas, O lord of men—
केव्यास्तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा लभते वीर्यमुत्तमम् (केव्या पाठभेदाः – कन्या, कोट्या, कोत्या, कोन्या)। ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र द्वारपालं लवर्णकम्
By bathing at the Kevyā-tīrtha, a man attains supreme strength; then, O king, he should go to the Dvārapāla called Lavarṇaka.
तस्य तीर्थे सरस्वत्यां यथेंद्रस्य महात्मनः । तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्नग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
At the sacred site of Sarasvati, belonging to the great Indra, O King, one who bathes there attains the reward of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.
ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ ब्रह्मावर्तं नराधिप । ब्रह्मावर्ते नरः स्नात्वा ब्रह्मलोकमवाप्नुयात्
Then, O knower of righteousness, let him proceed to Brahmāvarta, O ruler of men; bathing there, a person attains the world of Brahma.
ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ सुतीर्थकमनुत्तमम् । यत्र सन्निहिता नित्यं पितरो दैवतैः सह
Next, O knower of righteousness, let him go to the supreme sacred site called Sutīrtha, where the ancestors are always present together with the gods.
तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत पितृदेवार्चने रतः । अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति पितृलोकं च गच्छति
There, one should perform ablutions, devoted to worshipping the ancestors and gods; he attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice and reaches the world of the ancestors.
ततोऽन्यतीर्थं धर्मज्ञ समासाद्य यथाक्रमम् । काशीश्वरस्य तीर्थेषु स्नात्वा भरतसत्तम
Afterwards, O knower of righteousness, having reached another sacred site in due order, bathing at the holy places of Kāśīśvara, O best of Bharatas,
सर्वव्याधिविनिर्मुक्तो ब्रह्मलोके महीयते । मातृतीर्थं च तत्रैव यत्र स्नातस्य पार्थिव
He becomes free from all diseases and is honored in the world of Brahma; and there also is the Mother’s Tīrtha, where, O King, for one who bathes,
प्रजा विवर्द्धते राजन्स्वर्गतिं समवाप्नुयात् । ततः शीतवनं गच्छेन्नियतो नियताशनः
His progeny increases, O King, and he attains the path to heaven; then let him go to Śītavana, disciplined and moderate in eating.
तीर्थं तत्र महाराज महदन्यत्र दुर्लभम् । पुनाति दर्शनादेव दंडेनैकं नराधिप
There is a great sacred site, O mighty King, rare elsewhere; it purifies by mere sight, O ruler of men, with a single staff.
केशानावप्य वै तस्मिन्पूतो भवति भारत । तत्र तीर्थवरं चान्यत्स्नात लोकार्तिहं स्मृतम्
By shaving the hair there, one becomes purified, O descendant of Bharata; and there is another excellent sacred site, renowned for removing worldly suffering when bathed in.
तत्र विप्रा नरव्याघ्र विद्वांसस्तत्र तत्पराः । गतिं गच्छंति परमां स्नात्वा भरतसत्तम
There, O tiger among men, learned Brahmins devoted to that place attain the highest state by bathing, O best of Bharatas.
स्वर्णलोमापनयने तीर्थे भरतसत्तम । प्राणायामैर्निर्हरंति स्वलोमानि द्विजोत्तमाः
At the sacred site called Svarṇalomāpanayana, O best of Bharatas, the foremost Brahmins remove their own hair through breath control.
पूतात्मानश्च राजेन्द्र प्रयांति परमां गतिम् । दशाश्वमेधिके चैव तस्मिंस्तीर्थे महीपते
Purified in soul, O King of Kings, they attain the highest state; and at the Daśāśvamedhika sacred site, O lord of the earth,
तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र गच्छंति परमां गतिम् । ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र मानुषं लोकविश्रुतम्
There, O tiger among men, those who bathe attain the highest state; then, O King, let him proceed to the renowned human world.
तत्र कृष्णामृगा राजन्व्याधेन शरपीडिताः । विगाह्य तस्मिन्सरसि मानुषत्वमुपागताः
There, O King, black antelopes wounded by arrows of hunters, having entered that lake, attained human existence.