चतुर्विद्ये च यत्पुण्यं सत्यवादिषु चैव यत् । स्नातएवतदाप्नोतिगंगायामुनसंगमे
Whatever merit is gained by mastering the four Vedas or by truthfulness, that is obtained by bathing at the confluence of Gaṅgā and Yamunā.
ततो भोगवती नाम वासुकेस्तीर्थमुत्तमम् । तत्राभिषेकं यः कुर्यात्सोऽश्वमेधमवाप्नुयात्
Next is the supreme holy place called Bhogavatī, the ford of Vāsuki; whoever performs ablution there attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
तत्र हंसप्रपतनं तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् । दशाश्वमेधिकं चैव गंगायां कुरुनंदन
There is the famous ford called Haṃsaprapatana, renowned in the three worlds, and also the Daśāśvamedhika on the Gaṅgā, O joy of the Kurus.
कुरुक्षेत्रसमा गंगा यत्र तत्रावगाहिता । विशेषो वै कनखले प्रयागं परमं महत्
Where the Gaṅgā is like Kurukṣetra, there immersion is especially praised; but Prayāga is the highest and greatest.
यद्यकार्यशतं कृत्वा कृतं गंगावसेवनम् । सर्वं तत्तस्य गंगापो दहत्यग्निरिवेंधनम्
Even if one has committed a hundred misdeeds, by serving the waters of Gaṅgā, all those are burned up like fire burns fuel.
सर्वं दहति गंगापस्तूलराशिमिवानलः । सर्वं कृतयुगे पुण्यं त्रेतायां पुष्करं स्मृतम्
The waters of Gaṅgā burn up everything, just as fire consumes a heap of straw; all merit in Kṛtayuga is remembered, and in Tretā, Puṣkara.
द्वापरे तु कुरुक्षेत्रं गंगा कलियुगे स्मृता । पुष्करे तु तपस्तप्येद्दानं दद्यान्महालये
In Dvāpara, Kurukṣetra is remembered, and in Kaliyuga, the Gaṅgā; in Puṣkara one should perform austerity, in Mahālaya one should give gifts.
मलये त्वग्निमारोहेद्भृगुतुंगे त्वनाशनम् । पुष्करे तु कुरुक्षेत्रे गंगापो मध्यगेषु च
In Malaya, one should ascend the fire; in Bhṛgutunga, one should fast unto death; in Puṣkara, Kurukṣetra, the waters of Gaṅgā, and the middle regions as well.
सद्यस्तारयते जंतुः सप्तसप्तावरांस्तथा । पुनाति कीर्त्तिता पापं दृष्ट्वा पुण्यं प्रयच्छति
At once, a being is delivered, along with seven generations; when praised, it purifies from sin, and when seen, it bestows merit.
अवगाढा च पीत्वा च पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम् । यावदस्थि मनुष्यस्य गंगायाः स्पृशते जलम्
By bathing or drinking, it purifies up to the seventh generation; as long as a person's bones touch the waters of Gaṅgā.
तावत्स पुरुषो राजन्स्वर्गलोके महीयते । यथा पुण्यानि तीर्थानि पुण्यान्यायतनानि च
So long, O King, is a person honored in the world of heaven; just as the sacred fords and holy shrines are meritorious.
उपास्य पुण्यं लब्ध्वा च भवति परलोकभाक् । न गंगा सदृशं तीर्थं न देवः केशवात्परः
By worshipping and obtaining merit, one attains the next world; there is no sacred ford like Gaṅgā, nor any god greater than Keśava.
ब्राह्मणेभ्यः परं नास्ति एवमाह पितामहः । यत्र गंगा महाराज स देशस्तत्र योजनम्
There is nothing higher than the Brahmins, so said the Grandfather; wherever the Ganga flows, O great king, that land is measured there.
सिद्धक्षेत्रं च विज्ञेयं गंगातीरसमाश्रितम् । इदं सत्यं द्विजातीनां साधूनां मानसेषु च
Know that the region along the banks of the Ganga is a field of perfection; this is true for the twice-born, the virtuous, and those with pure minds.
मुक्तिं चैव जपेत्कर्णे शिष्टस्यानुगतस्य च । इदं धर्म्यमिदं मेध्यमिदं स्वर्ग्यमिदं सुखम्
One should recite the liberation mantra in the ear of the worthy and the devoted; this is righteous, this is pure, this leads to heaven, this is happiness.
इदं पुण्यतमं रम्यं पावनं धर्ममुत्तमम् । महीशीर्षमिदं गुह्यं सर्वपापप्रमोचनम्
This is most holy, delightful, purifying, and the supreme dharma; it is the crown of the earth, secret, and the remover of all sins.
अधीत्य द्विजमध्ये च निर्मलत्वमवाप्नुयात् । श्रीमत्स्वर्ग्यं महापुण्यं सपत्नशमनं शिवम्
By studying it among the twice-born, one attains purity; it is glorious, heavenly, of great merit, the destroyer of enemies, and auspicious.
मेधाजननमग्र्यं वै तीर्थवंशानुकीर्त्तनम् । अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रमधनो धनमाप्नुयात्
It generates supreme intelligence and recounts the lineage of holy places; the childless gains a son, the poor acquires wealth.
महीं विजयते राजा वैश्यो धनमवाप्नुयात् । शूद्रो यातीप्सितान्कामान्ब्राह्मणः पारगः पठन्
The king conquers the earth, the merchant obtains wealth; the servant attains desired pleasures, and the Brahmin crosses over by reciting.
यश्चेदं शृणुयान्नित्यं तीर्थपुण्यं सदा शुचि । जातिस्मरत्वमाप्नोति नाकपृष्ठे च मोदते
Whoever hears this regularly, always pure, the merit of holy places, attains remembrance of past births and rejoices in the highest heaven.
गम्यान्यपि च तीर्थानि कीर्तितान्यगमान्यपि । मनसाप्यभिगच्छेत सर्वतीर्थमनीषया
Even those holy places that are mentioned but not visited, one may approach them mentally, and thus all holy places are attained by intent.
एतानि वसुभिः साध्यैरादित्यैर्मरुदश्विभिः । ऋषिभिर्देवकल्पैश्च कृतानि सुकृतैषिभिः
These have been accomplished by the Vasus, the Adityas, the Maruts, the Ashvins, and by sages resembling gods, through their virtuous deeds.
एवं त्वमपि कौरव्य विधिनानेन सुव्रत । व्रज तीर्थानि नियतः पुण्यं पुण्येन वर्द्धते
Thus, O Kauravya, you too, with this discipline, O virtuous one, go to the holy places with restraint; merit increases with merit.
भावितैः करणैः पूर्वमास्तिक्याछ्रुतिदर्शनात् । प्राप्यंते तानि तीर्थानि सद्भिः शिष्टानुदर्शिभिः
Those holy places are attained by the noble, who possess purified actions, faith, and the vision of hearing; by the virtuous who follow the wise.
नाकृतो नाकृतात्मा च नाशुचिर्न च तस्करः । स्नाति तीर्थेषु कौरव्य न च वक्रमतिर्नरः
One who is unprepared, impure in self, unclean, or a thief, O Kauravya, does not bathe in the holy places, nor does one with crooked mind.
त्वया तु सम्यग्वृत्तेन नित्यं धर्मार्थदर्शिना । पितरस्तर्पितास्तात सर्वे च प्रपितामहाः । पितामहपुरोगाश्च देवाः सर्षिगणास्तथा
But by you, who acts rightly, always seeing dharma and wealth, all the ancestors are satisfied, as are all forefathers, and the gods led by the Grandfather, and all the groups of sages.
वसिष्ठ उवाच- त्वं च धर्मेण धर्मज्ञ नित्यमेवाभितोषिताः । दिलीपकीर्तिं महतीं प्राप्स्यसे भुवि शाश्वतीम्
Vasiṣṭha said: You too, O knower of dharma, are always gratified by dharma; you will attain the great and eternal fame of Dilīpa on earth.
नारद उवाच- एवमुक्त्वाभ्यनुज्ञाप्य वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः । प्रीतः प्रीतेनमनसा तत्रैवांतरधीयत
Nārada said: Having spoken thus and given permission, the venerable sage Vasiṣṭha, pleased and with a joyful mind, vanished there.
दिलीपः कुरुशार्दूल शास्त्रतत्त्वार्थदर्शनात् । वसिष्ठवचनाच्चैव पृथिवीमनुचक्रमे
Dilīpa, O tiger among Kurus, by understanding the essence and meaning of scripture, and by the words of Vasiṣṭha, traversed the earth.
एवमेषा महाभाग प्रतिष्ठाने प्रतिष्ठिता । तीर्थयात्रा महापुण्या सर्वपापप्रमोचनी
Thus, O highly fortunate one, the pilgrimage is established at Pratiṣṭhāna; the journey to holy places is of great merit and releases from all sins.