मयूरहंससंयुक्तं विमानं लभते नरः । ततो गोदावरीं प्राप्य नित्यसिद्धनिषेविताम्
A man obtains a celestial chariot adorned with peacocks and swans; then, reaching the Godavari, ever served by the eternally perfected,
गवामयमवाप्नोति वायुलोकं च गच्छति । वेणायाः संगमे स्नात्वा वाजपेयफलं लभेत्
He attains the merit of a cow-sacrifice and goes to the world of the wind-god; by bathing at the confluence of the Vena, he gains the fruit of a Vajapeya sacrifice.
वरदासंगमं स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । ब्रह्मस्थूणां समासाद्य त्रिरात्रोपोषितो नरः
By bathing at the confluence with Varada, one obtains the merit of a thousand cows; reaching the pillar of Brahma, and fasting for three nights,
गोसहस्रफलं विंद्यात्स्वर्गलोकं च गच्छति । कुब्जावनं समासाद्य ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः
He attains the merit of a thousand cows and goes to the heavenly world; reaching Kubjavana, the devoted celibate,
त्रिरात्रोपोषितः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । ततो देवह्रदे स्नात्वा कृष्णवेणा जलोद्भवे
Having fasted for three nights and bathed, he obtains the merit of a thousand cows; then, by bathing in the divine lake, born of the waters of Krishna-Vena,
ज्योतिर्मात्र ह्रदे चैव तथा कन्याश्रमे नृप । यत्र क्रतुशतैरिष्ट्वा देवराजो दिवं गतः
In the lake of light, and likewise at the Maiden's Hermitage, O king, where the king of the gods, having performed a hundred sacrifices, ascended to heaven,
अग्निष्टोमशतं विंद्याद्गमनादेव तत्र तु । सर्वदेवह्रदे स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
By merely going there, one attains the fruit of a hundred Agnishtoma sacrifices; by bathing in the lake of all the gods, one obtains the merit of a thousand cows.
जातिमात्र ह्रदे स्नात्वा भवेज्जातिस्मरो नरः । शरभंगाश्रमं गत्वा शुकस्य च महात्मनः
By bathing in the lake of birth alone, a man becomes one who remembers his past lives; going to the hermitage of Sharabhanga and of the great-souled Shuka,
पितृदेवार्चनरतो गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । दंडकारण्यमासाद्य महाराज उपस्पृशेत्
One who is devoted to worshipping ancestors and gods attains the merit equal to a thousand cows; O great king, upon reaching the Dandaka forest, one should perform purification.
शरभंगाश्रमं गत्वा शुकस्य च महात्मनः । न दुर्गतिमवाप्नोति पुनाति स्वकुलं नरः
Having gone to the hermitage of Sharabhanga and to the great-souled Shuka, a person does not meet with misfortune and purifies his own lineage.
ततः सूर्यारकं गच्छेज्जमदग्निनिषेवितम् । रामतीर्थं नरः स्नात्वा विंद्याद्बहुसुवर्णकम्
Then, one should proceed to Suryaraka, sanctified by Jamadagni; after bathing at Rama's sacred place, a person finds much gold.
सप्तगोदावरीं स्नात्वा नियतो नियताशनः । महापुण्यमवाप्नोति देवलोकं च गच्छति
Bathing in the seven Godavari rivers, with self-restraint and regulated food, one attains great merit and goes to the world of the gods.
ततो देवपथं गच्छेन्नियतो नियताशनः । देवसत्रस्य यत्पुण्यं तदवाप्नोति मानवः
Then, proceeding on the path of the gods, with self-restraint and regulated food, a person attains the merit of the divine sacrificial session.
तुंगकारण्यमासाद्य ब्रह्मचारी जितेंद्रियः । वेदानध्यापयत्तत्र मुनीन्सारस्वतः पुरा
Upon reaching the Tungaka forest, a celibate with controlled senses taught the Vedas there to the Sarasvata sages in ancient times.
तत्र वेदान्प्रणष्टांस्तु मुनेरांगिरसः सुतः । उपविष्टो महर्षीणामुत्तरीयेषु भारत
There, the son of the sage Angiras, seated among the foremost sages, restored the lost Vedas, O Bharata.
ॐकारेण यथान्यायं सम्यगुच्चारितेन ह । येन यत्पूर्वमभ्यस्तं तस्य तत्समुपस्थितम्
By properly uttering the syllable 'Om' as prescribed, whatever had been previously studied was brought forth for him.
ऋषयस्तत्र देवाश्च वरुणोऽग्निप्रजापतिः । हरिर्नारायणो देवो महादेवस्तथैव च
There were sages, gods, Varuna, Agni, Prajapati, Hari, Narayana, and likewise Mahadeva.
पितामहश्च भगवान्देवैस्सह महाद्युतिः । भृगुं नियोजयामास याजनार्थे महाद्युतिम्
And the illustrious grandsire, together with the gods, appointed Bhrigu, radiant in splendor, for the purpose of officiating.
ततः स चक्रे भगवानृषीणां विधिवत्तदा । सर्वेषां पुनराधानं देवदृष्टेन कर्मणा
Then, the blessed one performed, according to the proper rite, the re-consecration for all the sages with a ritual seen by the gods.
आज्यभागेन वै तत्र तर्पितास्तु यथाविधि । देवास्त्रिभुवनं याता ऋषयश्च यथासुखम्
There, with the portion of clarified butter offered as prescribed, the gods were satisfied and went to the three worlds, and the sages departed as they pleased.
तदरण्यं प्रविष्टस्य तुंगकं राजसत्तम । पापं विनश्यते सद्यः स्त्रिया वै पुरुषस्य वा
For one who enters that Tungaka forest, O best of kings, sin is destroyed at once, whether of a woman or a man.
तत्र मासं वसेद्धीरो नियतो नियताशनः । ब्रह्मलोकं व्रजेद्राजन्पुनीते च कुलं पुनः
There, a steadfast person should reside for a month, with self-restraint and regulated food; he attains the world of Brahma, O king, and again purifies his lineage.
मेधावनं समासाद्य पितृदेवांश्च तर्पयेत् । अग्निष्टोममवाप्नोति स्मृतिं मेधां च विंदति
Upon reaching Medhavana, one should satisfy the ancestors and gods; he attains the fruit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice and gains memory and intelligence.
तत्र कालंजरं गत्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । आत्मानं साधयेत्तत्र गिरौ कालंजरे नृप
There, upon going to Kalanjara, one attains the merit equal to a thousand cows; one should perfect oneself there, O king, on the mountain Kalanjara.
स्वर्गलोके महीयेत नरो नास्त्यत्र संशयः । ततो गिरिवरश्रेष्ठे चित्रकूटे विशांपते
A person is honored in the heavenly world; there is no doubt about this. Then, O lord of men, at the foremost mountain, Chitrakuta.
मंदाकिनीं समासाद्य नदीं पापविमोचनीम् । अत्राभिषेकं कुर्वाणः पितृदेवार्चने रतः
Upon reaching the Mandakini river, which frees from sin, one who performs ablution there, devoted to worshipping ancestors and gods—
अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति गतिं च परमां व्रजेत् । ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र गुहस्थानमनुत्तमम्
He attains the fruit of the horse sacrifice and reaches the highest state; thereafter, O king, he proceeds to the most excellent abode of Guha.
यत्र देवो महासेनो नित्यं सन्निहितो नृप । पुमांस्तत्र नरःश्रेष्ठ गमनादेव सिध्यति
Where the great god Mahasena is always present, O ruler, there, O best of men, a person succeeds merely by going.
कोटितीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य यशःस्थानं व्रजेन्नरः
Bathing at the Koṭitīrtha, a man obtains the merit of giving a thousand cows; after circumambulating, he attains a place of renown.
अभिगम्य महादेवं विराजति यथा शशी । तत्र कूपो महाराज विश्रुतो भरतर्षभ
Approaching Mahadeva, who shines like the moon, there is a well, O great king, famed among the descendants of Bharata.