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.
अनेन विधिना यस्तु पृथिवीं पर्यटिष्यति । अश्वमेधशतं साग्रं फलं प्रेत्यैष भोक्ष्यते
Whoever travels the earth in this manner will, after death, enjoy the reward equal to a hundred and one Aśvamedha sacrifices.
ततश्चाष्टगुणं पार्थ प्राप्स्यसे धर्ममुत्तमम् । दिलीपः पार्थ नृपतिर्यथापूर्वमवाप्तवान्
Then, O Pārtha, you will obtain eightfold supreme merit, just as King Dilīpa did in ancient times.
नेता च त्वमृषीन्यस्मात्तस्मात्तेष्टगुणं फलम् । रक्षोगणविकीर्णानि तीर्थान्येतानि भारत
And since you are the leader of the sages, you will receive eightfold the reward; these sacred places, O Bhārata, are scattered with hosts of Rākṣasas.
न गतिर्विद्यतेऽन्यस्य त्वामृते कुरुनंदन । इदं देवर्षिचरितं सर्वतीर्थानुसंश्रितम्
No one else but you, O joy of the Kurus, can attain this; this is the story of the gods and sages, connected with all the sacred places.
यः पठेत्कल्यमुत्थाय सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते । ऋषिमुख्याः सदा यत्र वाल्मीकिस्त्वथ कश्यपः
Whoever recites this, rising at dawn, is freed from all sins; where the foremost sages always reside—Vālmīki and also Kaśyapa,
आत्रेयस्त्वथ कौंडिन्यो विश्वामित्रोऽथ गौतमः । असितो देवलश्चैव मार्कंडेयोऽथ गालवः
Atri, Kauṇḍinya, Viśvāmitra, Gautama, Asita, Devala, Mārkaṇḍeya, and Gālava,
भरद्वाजस्य शिष्यश्च मुनिरुद्दालकस्तथा । शौनकः सह पुत्रेण व्यासश्च तपतां वरः
The sage Uddālaka, disciple of Bharadvāja, and also Śaunaka with his son, and Vyāsa, the best of ascetics,
दुर्वासाश्च मुनिश्रेष्ठो जाबालिश्च महातपाः । एते ऋषिवराः सर्वे त्वत्प्रतीक्ष्यास्तपोधनाः
And Durvāsas, the foremost sage, and Jābāli, great in austerity—all these eminent sages, rich in penance, are awaiting you.
एभिः सह महाभाग तीर्थान्येतान्यनुव्रज । प्राप्स्यसे महतीं कीर्तिं यथा राजा महाभिषः
Accompanied by these blessed ones, visit these sacred places; you will attain great fame, as did King Mahābhiṣa.
यथा ययातिर्धर्मात्मा यथा राजा पुरूरवाः । तथा त्वं कुरुशार्दूल स्वेन धर्मेण शोभसे
As the righteous King Yayāti and King Purūravas did, so too, O tiger among Kurus, will you shine by your own virtue.