बुद्बुदा इव तोयेषु प्रत्यंडा इव पक्षिषु । जायंते मरणायैव यमुनास्नान वर्जिताः
Like bubbles in water, like eggs among birds, those born without bathing in the Yamuna are born only to die.
अवैष्णवो हतो विप्रो हतं श्राद्धमपिंडकम् । अब्रह्मण्यं हतं क्षत्रमनाचार हतं कुलम्
A Brāhmaṇa without devotion to Viṣṇu is ruined, as is the offering of ancestral rites; a Kṣatriya without adherence to the Veda is ruined, and a family is ruined by misconduct.
सदंभश्च हतो धर्म्मः क्रोधेनैव हतं तपः । अदृढं च हतं ज्ञानं प्रमादेन हतं श्रुतम्
Dharma is ruined by hypocrisy, austerity by anger, knowledge by lack of firmness, and learning by carelessness.
परभक्त्या हता नारी ब्रह्मचारी स्त्रिया हतः । अदीप्तेऽग्नौ हतो होमो हता भक्तिः समायिका
A woman is ruined by devotion to another, a celibate by a woman; a sacrifice is ruined without a blazing fire, and regular devotion is ruined without sincerity.
उपजीव्या हता कन्या स्वार्थे पाकक्रिया हता । शूद्र भक्षो हतो योगः कृपणस्य हतं धनम्
A maiden is ruined by being exploited, cooking is ruined by selfishness, yoga is ruined by eating food from a Śūdra, and wealth is ruined in the hands of a miser.
अनभ्यासहता विद्या हतो बोधो विरोधकृत् । जीवितार्थं हतं तीर्थं जीवनार्थं हतं व्रतम्
Learning is ruined by lack of practice, understanding by opposition, a pilgrimage by seeking livelihood, and a vow by pursuit of worldly gain.
असत्या च हता वाणी तथा पैशुन्यवादिनी । षट्कर्णगो हतो मंत्रो व्यग्रचित्तो हतो जपः
Speech is ruined by falsehood and slander; a mantra is ruined when heard by six ears, and recitation is ruined by a distracted mind.
हतमश्रोत्रिये दानं हतो लोकश्च नास्तिकः । अश्रद्धया हतं सर्वं यत्कृतं पारलौकिकम्
Charity is ruined when given to one unlearned in the Veda, the world is ruined by atheism, and all acts for the next world are ruined by lack of faith.
इह लोको हतो नॄणां दरिद्राणां यथा नृप । मनुष्याणां हतं जन्म कालिदीमज्जनं विना
In this world, the life of the poor is ruined, O king; human birth is ruined without bathing in the Kālindī (Yamuna).
उपपातक सर्वाणि पातकानि महांति च । भस्मी भवंति सर्वाणि यमुनामज्जनान्नृप
All minor and major sins, O king, are reduced to ashes by immersion in the Yamuna.
वेपंते सर्वपापानि यमुनायां गते नरे । नाशके सर्वपापानां यदि स्नास्यति वारिणि
All sins tremble when a person enters the Yamuna; if one bathes in its waters, all sins are destroyed.
पावका इव दीप्यंते यमुनायां नरोत्तमाः । विमुक्ताः सर्वपापेभ्यो मेघेभ्य इव चंद्रमाः
The best of men shine in the Yamuna like fire, freed from all sins, like the moon freed from clouds.
आर्द्र शुष्कलघुस्थूलं वाङ्मनः कर्मभिः कृतम् । तत्र स्नानं दहेत्पापं पावकः समिधो यथा
Whether moist or dry, light or heavy, whatever is done by speech, mind, or action—there, bathing burns away sin as fire consumes fuel.
प्रामादिकं च यत्पापं ज्ञानाज्ञानकृतं च यत् । स्नानमात्रेण नश्येत यमुनायां नृपोत्तम
Any sin committed through negligence, whether knowingly or unknowingly, is destroyed merely by bathing in the Yamuna, O best of kings.
निष्पापास्त्रिदिवं यांति पापिष्ठा यांति शुद्धताम् । संदेहो नात्र कर्तव्यः स्नाने वै यमुनाजले
The most sinful become sinless and attain purity; there should be no doubt here regarding bathing in the waters of the Yamuna.
सर्वेऽधिकारिणो ह्यत्र विष्णुभक्तौ तथा नृप । सर्वेषां सर्वदा देवी यमुना पापनाशिका
All are eligible here, O king, especially those devoted to Vishnu; for all, at all times, the goddess Yamuna is the destroyer of sin.
एष एव परो मंत्र एतच्च परमं तपः । प्रायश्चित्तं परं चैव यमुनास्नानमुत्तमम्
This indeed is the supreme mantra, and this is the highest austerity; the best atonement is the excellent bath in the Yamuna.
नृणां जन्मांतराभ्यासात्कालिंदी मज्जने मतिः । अध्यात्मज्ञानकौशल्यं जन्माभ्यासाद्यथा नृप
Through the habit of many births, people develop the inclination to immerse in the Kalindi; just as skill in spiritual knowledge arises from repeated births, O king.
संसारकर्दमालेप प्रक्षालन विशारदम् । पावनं पावनानां च यमुनास्नानमुत्तमम्
The bath in the Yamuna is most excellent, skilled in washing away the mud of worldly existence, and is the purest among all that purify.
स्नातास्तत्र च ये राजन्सर्वकामफलप्रदे । शुभांश्च भुंजते भोगांश्चंद्र सूर्यग्रहोपमान्
Those who bathe there, O king, obtain the fruits of all desires; they enjoy auspicious pleasures, shining like the moon, sun, and planets.
यमुना मोक्षदा प्रोक्ता मथुरासंगता यदि । मथुरायां च कालिंदी पुण्याधिकविवर्द्धिनी
The Yamuna is said to grant liberation, especially when joined with Mathura; in Mathura, the Kalindi increases in merit.
अन्यत्र यमुना पुण्या महापातकहारिणी । विष्णुभक्तिप्रदा देवी मथुरा संगता भवेत्
Elsewhere, the Yamuna is holy and removes great sins; when united with Mathura, the goddess bestows devotion to Vishnu.
भक्तिभावेन संयुक्ता कालिंद्यां यदि मज्जयेत् । कल्पकोटिसहस्राणि वसते सन्निधौ हरेः
If one, filled with devotion, immerses in the Kalindi, he dwells in the presence of Hari for thousands of millions of aeons.
मुक्तिं प्रयांति मनुजाः नूनं सांख्येन वर्जिताः । पितरस्तस्य तृप्यंति तृप्ताः कल्पशतैर्दिवि
Men certainly attain liberation, even without Sankhya; their ancestors are satisfied and remain content in heaven for hundreds of aeons.
ये पिबंति नरा राजन्यमुनासलिलं शुभम् । पंचगव्यसहस्रैस्तु सेवितैः किं प्रयोजनम्
What need is there, O king, for thousands of offerings of the five products of the cow, for those men who drink the auspicious water of the Yamuna?
कोटितीर्थसहस्रैस्तु सेवितैः किं प्रयोजनम् । तत्र दानं च होमश्च सर्वं कोटिगुणं भवेत्
What use is there for thousands of crores of sacred bathing places? There, all gifts and sacrifices yield a crore-fold result.
नारद उवाच-। अत्र ते वर्णयिष्यामि इतिहासं पुरातनम् । पुरा कृतयुगे राजन्निषधे नगरे वरे
Narada said: Here I will relate to you an ancient history; in the past, in the Krita age, O king, in the excellent city of Nishadha—
आसीद्वैश्यः कुबेराभो नामतो हेमकुंडलः । कुलीनः सत्क्रियो देवद्विजपावकपूजकः
There was a merchant, resembling Kubera, named Hemakundala; noble by birth, righteous in conduct, and a worshipper of gods, brahmins, and fire.
कृषिवाणिज्यकर्त्तासौ विविधक्रयविक्रयी । गोघोटकमहिष्यादि पशुपोषणतत्परः
He was engaged in agriculture and trade, buying and selling various goods; he was devoted to the care of cows, horses, buffaloes, and other animals.
पयो दधीनि तक्राणि गोमयानि तृणानि च । काष्ठानि फलमूलानि लवणाद्रा र्!दिपिप्पली
He dealt in milk, curds, buttermilk, cow dung, and grass; also in wood, fruits, roots, salt, wet ginger, and long pepper.