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.
सुरासुरस्य जगतो गतिस्त्वमसि शूलधृक् । त्वया सृष्टमिदं विश्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्
You are the refuge of gods, demons, and the world, O bearer of the trident. By you, this universe, the three worlds with all that moves and is still, was created.
त्वामेव भगवन्सर्वे प्रविशंति युगक्षये । देवैरपि न शक्यस्त्वं परिज्ञातुं कुतो मया
At the end of each age, O Lord, all beings enter into you alone. Even the gods cannot fully comprehend you—how could I?
त्वयि सर्वेश दृश्यंते सुराः शक्रादयोऽनघ । सर्वस्त्वमसि लोकानां कर्ता कारयितान्वहम्
In you, O Lord of all, the gods such as Indra are seen, O sinless one. You are the creator and sustainer of all worlds at all times.
त्वत्प्रसादात्सुराः सर्वे मोदंतीहाकुतोभयाः । एवं स्तुत्वा महादेवं स ऋषिः प्रणतोऽब्रवीत्
By your grace, all the gods rejoice here, free from fear. Thus praising Mahadeva, the sage, bowing, spoke.
त्वत्प्रसादान्महादेव तपो मे न क्षरेत वै । ततो देवः प्रहृष्टात्मा ब्रह्मर्षिमिदमब्रवीत्
By your grace, O Mahadeva, may my austerity never be lost. Then the delighted Lord spoke to the Brahmin sage.
तपस्ते वर्द्धतां विप्र मत्प्रसादात्सहस्रधा । आश्रमे चेह वत्स्यामि त्वया सार्द्धं महामुने
May your austerity increase a thousandfold by my grace, O sage. I will remain here in your hermitage together with you, O great sage.
सप्तसारस्वते स्नात्वा अर्चयिष्यंति ये तु माम् । न तेषां दुर्लभं किंचिदिह लोके परत्र वा
Those who bathe in the seven Sarasvati waters and worship me, nothing is unattainable for them in this world or the next.
गच्छेत्सारस्वतं चापि लोकं नास्त्यत्र संशयः । एवमुक्त्वा महादेवस्तत्रैवांतरधीयत
They will attain the Sarasvati world—there is no doubt about this. Having spoken thus, Mahadeva vanished there.
ततस्त्वौशनसं गच्छेत्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः
Then one should go to the renowned Aushanasa, known in the three worlds, where Brahma and other gods, and sages rich in austerity, reside.
कार्तिकेयश्च भगवांस्त्रिसंध्यां किल भारत । सान्निध्यमकरोत्तत्र भार्गवप्रियकाम्यया
And Kartikeya, O Bharata, at the three junctions of the day, indeed made his presence there, out of affection for the Bhargava.
कपालमोचनं तीर्थं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
The holy place called Kapalamocana destroys all sins. There, O tiger among men, bathing frees one from all sins.
अग्नितीर्थं ततो गच्छेत्स्नात्वा च भरतर्षभ । अग्निलोकमवाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत्
Then one should go to the Agni tirtha and bathe, O best of Bharatas. One attains the world of Agni and also uplifts one's lineage.
विश्वामित्रस्य तत्रैव तीर्थं भरतसत्तम । तत्र स्नात्वा महाराज ब्राह्मण्यमभिजायते
There is the holy place of Vishvamitra, O best of Bharatas. Bathing there, O great king, one attains the status of a Brahmin.
ब्रह्मयोनिं समासाद्य शुचिः प्रयतमानसः । तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र ब्रह्मलोकं प्रपद्यते
Having reached the womb of Brahma, pure and with a disciplined mind, bathing there, O tiger among men, one attains the world of Brahma.
पुनात्या सप्तमं चैव कुलं नास्त्यत्र संशयः । ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम्
One purifies even the seventh generation of one's lineage—there is no doubt about this. Then, O king, one should go to the holy place renowned throughout the three worlds.
पृथूदकमिति ख्यातं कार्तिकेयस्य व्नृप । तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत पितृदेवार्चने रतः
Known as Prithudaka, belonging to Kartikeya, O king, there one should perform ablutions, devoted to worshipping ancestors and gods.
अज्ञानाज्ज्ञानतो वापि स्त्रिया वा पुरुषेण वा । यत्किंचिदशुभं कर्म कृतं मानुषबुद्धिना
Whether through ignorance or knowledge, by a woman or a man, whatever unwholesome act is done with a human mind—
तत्सर्वं नश्यते तत्र स्नातमात्रस्य भारत । अश्वमेधफलं चापि लभते स्वर्गमेव च
All that is destroyed there, O Bhārata, for one who has just bathed; and he attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice and also heaven.
पुण्यमाहुः कुरुक्षेत्रं कुरुक्षेत्रात्सरस्वतीम् । सरस्वत्याश्च तीर्थानि तीर्थेभ्यश्च पृथूदकम्
They call Kurukṣetra holy, and holier than Kurukṣetra is Sarasvatī; holier than Sarasvatī are her sacred fords, and holier than the fords is Pṛthūdaka.
उत्तमे सर्वतीर्थानां यस्त्यजेदात्मनस्तनुम् । पृथूदके जप्यपरो नैव संसरणं लभेत्
Among all the sacred places, whoever gives up his body at the best—Pṛthūdaka—devoted to recitation, does not attain rebirth.