अभिगम्य स्थलद्यं तस्य गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । ऋणांतं कूपमासाद्य तिलप्रस्थं प्रदाय च
Approaching that holy place, one obtains the merit of giving a thousand cows; reaching the well called Ṛṇānta and offering a measure of sesame—
गच्छेत परमां सिद्धिमृणैर्मुक्तो नरेश्वर । वेदीतीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
He attains supreme perfection, freed from debts, O lord of men; by bathing at the sacred ford called Vedi, one gains the merit of giving a thousand cows.
अहश्च सुदिनश्चैव द्वे तीर्थे नृप दुर्लभे । तयोः स्नात्वा नरः श्रेष्ठ सूर्यलोकमवाप्नुयात्
O king, the two sacred fords, Aha and Sudina, are difficult to obtain; by bathing at those two, O best of men, one attains the world of the Sun.
मृगधूमं ततो गच्छेत्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । तत्र रुद्रपदे स्नात्वा समभ्यर्च्य च मानवः
Then he should go to Mṛgadhūma, famed in the three worlds; there, by bathing at the seat of Rudra and worshipping, a man—
शूलपाणिं महात्मानमश्वमेधफलं लभेत् । कोटितीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
Obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice by worshipping the great-souled, trident-bearing Lord; by bathing at Koṭitīrtha, one gains the merit of giving a thousand cows.
अथ वामनकं गत्वा त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । तत्र विष्णुपदे स्नात्वा समभ्यर्च्य च वामनम्
Or, going to Vāmanaka, renowned in the three worlds, there, by bathing at the seat of Viṣṇu and worshipping Vāmana—
सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा विष्णुलोकमवाप्नुयात् । कुलंपुने नरः स्नात्वा पुनाति स्वकुलं नरः
With a mind purified from all sins, he attains the world of Viṣṇu; by bathing at Kulaṃpuna, a man purifies his own lineage.
पवनस्य ह्रदं गत्वा मरुतां तीर्थमुत्तमम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र वायुलोके महीयते
Going to the lake of Pāvana, the foremost sacred place of the winds, there, O tiger among men, by bathing, one is honored in the world of Vāyu.
अमराणां ह्रदे स्नात्वा समभ्यर्च्यामराधिपम् । अमराणां प्रभावेण स्वर्गलोके महीयते
By bathing in the lake of the immortals and worshipping the lord of the immortals, by the power of the immortals, one is honored in the heavenly world.
शालिहोत्रस्य राजेंद्र शालिसूर्ये यथाविधि । स्नात्वा नरवरश्रेष्ठ गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
O king, by bathing properly at Śālihotra's and Śālisūrya's fords, O best of men, one obtains the merit of giving a thousand cows.
श्रीकुंजं च सरस्वत्यां तीर्थं भरतसत्तम । तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्नग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
O best of the Bharatas, there is the sacred grove of Śrī on the Sarasvatī, a holy place; bathing there, O king, a man obtains the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.
ततो नैमिषिकुंजं च समासाद्य सुदुर्लभम् । ऋषयः किल राजेंद्र नैमिषेयास्तपोधनाः
Then, reaching the Naimiṣa grove, which is exceedingly rare, O king, it is said that the ascetic sages of Naimiṣa, rich in austerity, once gathered there.
तीर्थयात्रां पुरस्कृत्य कुरुक्षेत्रे गताः पुरा । ततः कुंजः सरस्वत्यां कृतो भरतसत्तम
Having set out on a pilgrimage, those sages of old went to Kurukṣetra; thus, O best of the Bharatas, the grove was established on the Sarasvatī.
ऋषीणामवकाशः स्याद्यथा तुष्टिकरो महान् । तस्मिन्कुंजे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
That grove became a great place of satisfaction for the sages, as a spacious and pleasing retreat; whoever bathes in that grove attains the merit of gifting a thousand cows.
नारद उवाच-। ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ कन्यातीर्थमनुत्तमम् । कन्यातीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा अग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
Nārada said: Then, O knower of dharma, one should go to the excellent Kanyā-tīrtha; by bathing at Kanyā-tīrtha, a man obtains the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.
ततो गच्छेन्नरव्याघ्र ब्रह्मणः स्थानमुत्तमम् । तत्र वर्णावरः स्नात्वा ब्राह्मण्यं लभते नरः
Then, O tiger among men, one should go to the supreme abode of Brahmā; there, by bathing, a man of any caste attains the state of a brāhmaṇa.
ब्राह्मणस्तु विशुद्धात्मा गच्छेत परमां गतिम् । ततो गच्छेन्नरव्याघ्र सोमतीर्थमनुत्तमम्
A brāhmaṇa of pure soul attains the highest state; then, O tiger among men, one should go to the excellent Soma-tīrtha.
तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्सोमलोकमवाप्नुयात् । सप्तसारस्वतं तीर्थं ततो गच्छेन्नराधिप
There, O king, by bathing, a man attains the world of Soma; then, O lord of men, one should go to the Saptasārasvata tīrtha.
यत्र मंकणकः सिद्धो ब्रह्मर्षिर्लोकविश्रुतः । पुरा मंकणको राजन्कुशाग्रेणेति विश्रुतम्
There, the accomplished sage Maṅkaṇaka, renowned among the worlds as a brahmarṣi, once, it is said, wounded himself with a blade of kuśa grass.
क्षतः किल करे राजन्तस्य शाकरसोऽस्रवत् । स वै शाकरसं दृष्ट्वा हर्षाविष्टो महातपाः
O king, from his hand blood of a vegetable nature flowed; seeing that vegetable sap, the great ascetic was filled with joy.
ननर्त किल विप्रर्षिर्विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः । ततस्तस्मिन्प्रनृत्ते वै स्थावरं जंगमं च यत्
It is said that the brāhmaṇa sage, his eyes wide with astonishment, began to dance;
प्रनृत्तमुभयं वीर तेजसा तस्य मोहितम् । ब्रह्मादिभिस्ततो देवैर्ऋषिभिश्च तपोधनैः
Then, as he danced, O hero, all that was stationary and moving was enchanted by his energy and began to dance as well.
विज्ञप्तो वै ऋषेरर्थे महादेवो नराधिप । नायं नृत्येद्यथा देव तथा त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि
Then, O lord of men, Brahmā and the other gods, along with the sages rich in austerity, petitioned the great god on behalf of the sage:
ततो देवो मुनिं दृष्ट्वा हर्षाविष्टेन चेतसा । नृत्यंतमब्रवीच्चैनं स्थिराणां हितकाम्यया
Therefore, O king, the god, seeing the sage overcome with joy, addressed him as he danced, desiring the welfare of the stable beings:
अहो महर्षे धर्मज्ञ किमर्थं नृत्यते भवान् । हर्षस्थानं किमर्थं वा तवाद्य मुनिपुंगव
"O great sage, knower of dharma, why are you dancing? O foremost of sages, what is the cause of your joy today?"
ऋषिरुवाच-। तपस्विनो धर्म्मपथस्थितस्य द्विजसत्तम । किं न पश्यसि मे ब्रह्मन्क्षताच्छाकरसं सृतम्
The sage said: "O best of twice-born, O Brahmā, do you not see the vegetable sap flowing from my wound, as I stand firm in the path of dharma and austerity?"
यं दृष्ट्वा संप्रनृत्तोऽहं हर्षेण महता वृतः । तं प्रहस्याब्रवीद्देव ऋषिं रागेण मोहितम्
"Seeing that, I began to dance, filled with great joy." Smiling, the god addressed the sage, who was enchanted by delight:
अहं तु विस्मयं विप्र न गच्छामीह पश्य माम् । एवमुक्त्वा नरश्रेष्ठ महादेवेन वै तदा
"But I, O brāhmaṇa, do not feel any wonder at this—look at me." Having spoken thus, O best of men, by the great god at that time—
अंगुल्यग्रेण राजेंद्र स्वांगुष्ठस्ताडितोऽनघ । तस्य भस्मक्षताद्राजन्निःसृतं हिमसंनिभम्
O king, with the tip of his finger, the sinless one struck his own thumb. From it, ashes emerged, resembling snow.
यं दृष्ट्वा व्रीडितो राजन्स मुनिः पादयोर्गतः । नान्यं देवादहं मन्ये रुद्रात्परतरं महत्
Seeing this, O king, the sage became embarrassed and fell at his feet. I do not consider any deity greater than Rudra.