सुगंधां शतकुंभां च पंचयज्ञं च भारत । अभिगम्य नरश्रेष्ठ स्वर्गलोके महीयते
Having approached the fragrant Śatakumbhā and the Pañcayajña, O best of men, one is honored in the heavenly world.
त्रिशूलपात्रं तत्रैव तीर्थमासाद्य दुर्लभम् । तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत पितृदेवार्चने रतः
There itself is the most rare sacred place called Triśūlapātra; one devoted to worship of ancestors and gods should perform ablutions there.
गाणपत्यं च लभते देहं त्यक्त्वा न संशयः । ततो राजगृहं गच्छेद्देव्याः स्थानं सुदुर्लभम्
There is no doubt that, having given up the body, one attains the state of Gaṇapatya; then one should go to Rājagṛha, the exceedingly rare abode of the goddess.
शाकंभरीति विख्याता त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुता । दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं च शाकेन किल भारत
She is renowned as Śākambharī, famed in the three worlds; O Bhārata, it is said that for a thousand divine years she sustained herself with vegetables.
आहारं सा कृतवती मासिमासि नराधिप । ऋषयोऽभ्यागतास्तत्र देव्या भक्तास्तपोधनाः
Month after month, O king of men, she made vegetables her food; there, ascetics devoted to the goddess and rich in austerity arrived.
आतिथ्यं च कृतं तेषां शाकेन किल भारत । ततः शाकंभरीत्येवं नाम तस्याः प्रतिष्ठितम्
O Bhārata, she offered them hospitality with vegetables; thus, her name became established as Śākambharī.
शाकंभरीं समासाद्य ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः । त्रिरात्रमुषितः शाकं भक्षयेन्नियतः शुचिः
Approaching Śākambharī, a devoted celibate should, for three nights, eat only vegetables, disciplined and pure.
शाकाहारस्य यत्सम्यग्वर्षैर्द्वादशभिः फलम् । तत्फलं तस्य भवति देव्याश्छंदेन भारत
Whatever is the full fruit of eating only vegetables for twelve years, that fruit is obtained by him, by the goddess's grace, O Bhārata.
ततो गच्छेत्सुवर्णाख्यं त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुतम् । यत्र कृष्णः प्रसादार्थं रुद्रमाराधयत्पुरा
Then one should go to the place called Suvarṇa, renowned in the three worlds, where Kṛṣṇa once worshipped Rudra to obtain his favor.
वरांश्च सुबहूँल्लेभे देवैरपि स दुर्ल्लभान् । उक्तश्च त्रिपुरघ्नेन परितुष्टेन भारत
There he obtained many boons, difficult even for the gods to attain, and was addressed by Tripuraghna, who was well pleased, O Bhārata.
अपि चात्माप्रियतरो लोके कृष्ण भविष्यसि । त्वन्मुखं च जगत्कृत्स्नं भविष्यति न संशयः
And he said, 'Kṛṣṇa, you will become dearer than your own self in the world, and the whole world will become your manifestation, without doubt.'
तत्राभिगम्य राजेंद्र पूजयित्वा वृषध्वजम् । अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति गाणपत्यं च विंदति
Having come there, O king, and having worshipped Vṛṣadhvaja, one attains the merit of an Aśvamedha and obtains the Gaṇapatya state.
धूमावतीं ततो गच्छेत्त्रिरात्रमुषितो नरः । मनसा प्रार्थितान्कामाँल्लभते नात्र संशयः
Then, after staying for three nights, one should go to Dhūmāvatī; whatever desires are wished for in the mind are obtained there, without doubt.
देव्यास्तु दक्षिणार्धे नरथावर्त्तो नराधिप । तत्रागत्य तु धर्मज्ञ श्रद्दधानो जितेंद्रियः
On the southern side of the goddess is the place called Narathāvarta, O king; having arrived there, one who knows righteousness, who is faithful and self-controlled—
महादेवप्रसादेन गच्छेत परमां गतिम् । प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य गच्छेत भरतर्षभ
By the grace of Mahādeva, he attains the supreme state; having circumambulated, he should depart, O best of the Bharatas.
नारदउवाच-। ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र कालिंदीतीर्थमुत्तमम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्न दुर्गतिमवाप्नुयात्
Nārada said: Thereafter, O king, one should go to the excellent sacred place of Kālimdī; having bathed there, O king, a man does not meet with misfortune.
पुष्करे तु कुरुक्षेत्रे ब्रह्मावर्त्ते पृथूदके । अविमुक्ते सुवर्णाख्ये यत्फलं लभते नरः
In Puṣkara, Kurukṣetra, Brahmāvarta, Pṛthūdaka, Avimukta, and Suvarṇa—whatever fruit a man obtains there,
तत्फलं समवाप्नोति यमुनायां नरोत्तम । स्वर्गभोगेतिरागो वै येषां मनसि वर्तते
that very fruit is attained by the best of men at the Yamunā, if their minds are free from attachment to heavenly pleasures and enjoyments.
यमुनायां विशेषेण स्नानदानेन सत्तम । आयुरारोग्यसंपत्तौ रूपयौवनता गुणे
Especially by bathing and giving gifts at the Yamunā, O noble one, one attains long life, health, wealth, beauty, youth, and virtue.
येषां मनोरथस्तैस्तु न त्याज्यं यमुनाजलम् । ये बिभ्यति नरकादेर्दारिद्र्योऽत्र संति च
For those whose heart’s desire is for these, the water of the Yamunā should never be abandoned; those who fear hell and poverty should remain here.
सर्वथा तैः प्रयत्नेन तत्र कार्यं निमज्जनम् । दारिद्र्य पाप दौर्भाग्य पंक प्रक्षालनाय वै
By all means, with effort, one should bathe there, for it washes away poverty, sin, misfortune, and the mire of evil.
ऋते वै यामुनं तोयं न चान्योस्ति युधिष्ठिर । श्रद्धाहीनानि कर्माणि मतान्यर्धफलानि वै । फलं ददाति संपूर्णं यामुनं स्नानमात्रतः
Apart from the water of the Yamunā, there is nothing else, O Yudhiṣṭhira; actions performed without faith are said to yield only half their fruit, but bathing in the Yamunā alone gives the full result.
अकामो वा सकामो वा यामुने सलिले नृप । इहामुत्र च दुःखानि मज्जनान्नैव पश्यति
Whether without desire or with desire, O king, one who bathes in the water of the Yamunā does not experience suffering here or hereafter.
पक्षद्वये यथा चंद्र क्षीःयते वर्द्धते तथा । पातकं नश्यते तत्र स्नानात्पुण्यं विवर्द्धते
Just as the moon wanes and waxes in the two fortnights, so too, by bathing there, sin is destroyed and merit increases.
यथाब्धौ सुखमायांति रत्नानि विविधानि च । आयुर्वित्तं कलत्राणि संपदः संभवंति च
Just as various jewels come easily from the ocean, so too, long life, wealth, spouses, and prosperity arise from it.
कामधेनुर्यथा कामं चिंतामणिर्विचिंतितम् । ददाति यमुनास्नानं तद्वत्सर्वं मनोरथम्
Just as the wish-fulfilling cow grants desires and the wish-gem fulfills thoughts, so too does bathing in the Yamunā grant all wishes.
कृते तपः परं ज्ञानं त्रेतायां यजनं तथा । द्वापरे च कलौ दानं कालिंदी सर्वदा शुभा
In Kṛta-yuga, penance is supreme; in Tretā, sacrifice; in Dvāpara, charity; but in all ages, the auspicious Kālindī (Yamunā) is foremost.
सर्वेषां सर्ववर्णानामाश्रमाणां च भूपते । यामुने मज्जनं धर्मं धाराभिः खलु वर्षति
For all people, of all castes and stages of life, O king, bathing in the Yamunā showers righteousness like a stream.
अस्मिन्वै भारते वर्षे कर्मभूमौ विशेषतः । कालिंद्यस्नायिनां नॄणां निष्फलं जन्मकीर्त्तितम्
Especially in this land of Bhārata, the field of action, the birth of those who do not bathe in the Kālindī is said to be fruitless.
नैश्वर्यं गगने यद्वच्चांद्रे ऽमायां तु मंडले । तद्वन्न भाति सत्कर्म यमुनामज्जनं विना
Just as there is no moonlight in the sky when the moon is new, so too, good deeds do not shine without bathing in the Yamunā.