महानद्यामुपस्पृश्य तर्पयेत्पितृदेवताः । अक्षयान्प्राप्नुयाल्लोकान्कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत्
After bathing in the great river, one should offer oblations to the ancestors and deities; he attains imperishable worlds and uplifts his lineage.
ततो ब्रह्मसरो गच्छेद्ब्रह्मारण्योपसेवितम् । पुंडरीकमवाप्नोति प्रभातमिव शर्वरी
Then he should go to Brahmasara, frequented by ascetics, and attains the lotus, as night yields to the morning.
सरसि ब्रह्मणा तत्र यूपश्रेष्ठः समुच्छ्रितः । यूपं प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा वाजपेयफलं लभेत्
There, in the lake of Brahma, stands a most excellent sacrificial post; by circumambulating it, one obtains the fruit of a Vājapeya sacrifice.
ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र धेनुकं लोकविश्रुतम् । एकारात्रोषितो राजन्प्रयच्छेत्तिलधेनुकाम्
Then, O king, he should proceed to Dhenuka, renowned among people; having stayed there for one night, O king, he should offer a sesame cow.
सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा सोमलोकं व्रजेद्ध्रुवम् । तत्र चिह्नं महाराज अद्यापि हि न संशयः
With his mind purified from all sins, he surely attains the world of Soma; even today, O great king, there is no doubt about this sign.
कपिला सहवत्सा वै पर्वते विचरत्युतः । सवत्सायाः पदान्यस्या दृश्यंतेऽद्यापि भारत
A tawny cow with her calf indeed roams on the mountain; even today, O descendant of Bharata, the footprints of that cow with her calf are seen.
तेषूपस्पृश्य राजेंद्र पदेषु नृपसत्तम । यत्किंचिदशुभं पापं तत्प्रणश्यति भारत
By bathing at those footprints, O best of kings, whatever inauspicious or sinful act there may be, that is destroyed, O descendant of Bharata.
ततो गृध्रवटं गच्छेत्स्थानं देवस्य शूलिनः । स्नायात्तु भस्मना तत्र संगम्य वृषभध्वजम्
Then he should go to Gṛdhravaṭa, the place of the trident-bearing god; there, after bathing with ashes, he should worship the bull-bannered one.
ब्राह्मणेन भवेच्चीर्णं व्रतं द्वादशवार्षिकम् । इतरेषां तु वर्णानां सर्वपापं प्रणश्यति
If a Brāhmaṇa has observed the twelve-year vow there, it is fulfilled; for others of the classes, all sins are destroyed.
गच्छेत तत उद्यंतं पर्वतं गीतनादितम् । सावित्रं तु पदं तत्र दृश्यते भरतर्षभ
Then he should go to the rising mountain, resounding with song; there, O best of Bharatas, the Sāvitra step is seen.
तत्र संध्यामुपासीत ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः । उपास्ताहि भवेत्संध्या तेन द्वादशवार्षिकी
There, a Brāhmaṇa of firm vows should perform the twilight worship; by performing that twilight worship, the twelve-year vow is accomplished.
योनिद्वारं च तत्रैव विश्रुतं भरतर्षभ । तत्राभिगम्य मुच्येत पुरुषो योनिसंकटात्
There also is the renowned Yoni-gate, O best of Bharatas; by approaching there, a man is freed from the distress of the womb.
शुक्लकृष्णावुभौ पक्षौ गयायां यो वसेन्नरः । पुनात्यासप्तमं राजन्कुलं नास्त्यत्र संशयः
Whoever dwells at Gayā during both the bright and dark fortnights, O king, purifies his lineage up to the seventh generation—there is no doubt in this.
एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्रा यद्यप्येको गयां व्रजेत् । यजेत वाश्वमेधेन नीलं वा वृषमुत्सृजेत्
Many sons should be desired, yet even if only one goes to Gayā, or performs an Aśvamedha, or releases a blue bull, the rite is fulfilled.
ततः फल्गुं व्रजेद्राजंस्तीर्थसेवी नराधिप । अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति सिद्धिं च परमां व्रजेत्
Then, O king, the devotee of holy places should go to the Phalgu; he attains the fruit of the Aśvamedha and reaches the highest accomplishment.
ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र धर्मपृष्ठं समाहितः । यत्र धर्मो महाराज नित्यमास्ते युधिष्ठिर
Then, O king, with concentrated mind, he should go to Dharmapṛṣṭha, where Dharma, O great king, always abides, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
धर्म्मं तत्राभिसंगम्य वाजिमेधफलं लभेत् । ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र ब्रह्मणस्तीर्थमुत्तमम्
By approaching Dharma there, one obtains the fruit of the Vājimedha sacrifice; then, O king, he should go to the supreme ford of Brahmā.
तत्राभिगम्य ब्रह्माणमर्चयेन्नियतव्रतः । राजसूयाश्वमेधाभ्यां फलं प्राप्नोति भारत
There, having approached Brahmā, he should worship with firm vows; he attains the fruit of both the Rājasūya and Aśvamedha sacrifices, O descendant of Bharata.
ततो राजगृहं गच्छेत्तीर्थसेवी नराधिप । उपस्पृश्य ततस्तत्र कक्षीवानिव मोदते
Then, the king who serves the sacred fords should go to the royal city; after purifying himself there, he rejoices like one who has cast off his soiled garment.
यक्षिण्या नैत्यकं तत्र प्रागग्निपुरुषः शुचिः । यक्षिण्यास्तु प्रसादेन मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया
There, by the favor of the yakṣiṇī, a pure man who daily offers oblations to the fire is freed from the sin of killing a Brahmin.
मणिनागं ततो गच्छेद्गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । नैत्यकं भुंजते यस्तु मणिनागस्य मानवः
Then he should go to Maṇināga; he attains the merit of a thousand cows. Whoever partakes of the naityaka offering at Maṇināga,
दष्टस्याशीविषेणास्य न विषं क्रमते नृप । तत्रोष्य रजनीमेकां सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
If bitten by a venomous serpent, the poison does not affect him, O king; and by staying there for one night, he is freed from all sins.
ततो गच्छेत ब्रह्मर्षेर्गौतमस्य वनं नृप । अहल्याया ह्रदे स्नात्वा व्रजेत परमां गतिम्
Then, O king, he should go to the forest of the Brahmarṣi Gautama; after bathing in Ahalyā's pool, he attains the highest state.
अभिगम्य श्रियं राजन्विंदते श्रियमुत्तमाम् । तत्रोदपानो धर्म्मज्ञ त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः
Having approached fortune there, O king, he obtains supreme prosperity; and there, O knower of dharma, the upāpāna is renowned in the three worlds.
तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत वाजिमेधमवाप्नुयात् । जनकस्य तु राजर्षेः कूपस्त्रिदशपूजितः
There, by performing an abhiṣeka, one attains the fruit of the horse sacrifice; and the well of King Janaka, revered by the gods,
तत्राभिषेकं कृत्वा च विष्णुलोकमवाप्नुयात् । ततोऽविनाशनं गच्छेत्सर्वपापप्रमोचनम्
By performing an abhiṣeka there, one attains the world of Viṣṇu; then, going to Avināśana, one is released from all sins.
वाजिमेधमवाप्नोति सोमलोकं च गच्छति । गंडकीं च समासाद्य सर्वतीर्थजलोद्भवाम्
He attains the fruit of the horse sacrifice and goes to the world of Soma; and, reaching the Gaṇḍakī, from which all sacred waters arise,
वाजपेयमवाप्नोति सूर्यलोकं च गच्छति । ततो ध्रुवस्य धर्मज्ञ समाविश्य तपोवनम्
He attains the fruit of the Vājapeya and goes to the world of the Sun; then, O knower of dharma, entering the hermitage of Dhruva,
गुह्यकेषु महाभाग मोदते नात्र संशयः । कर्मदां तु समासाद्य नदीं सिद्धनिषेविताम्
He delights among the Guhyakas, O greatly fortunate one—of this there is no doubt; and, reaching the river Karmadā, frequented by the perfected,
पुंडरीकमवाप्नोति सोमलोकं च गच्छति । ततो विशालामासाद्य नदीं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुताम्
He attains Puṇḍarīka and goes to the world of Soma; then, reaching the great river Viśālā, famed throughout the three worlds,