भक्षयित्वा ततो रक्तं पीत्वा यास्यामि जीवितम् । अन्या प्राह कियद्द्रव्यं विद्यतेऽस्य गजानने
'Then, after drinking his blood, I will regain my life.' Another said, 'How much substance does this elephant-faced one possess?'
मम व्याघ्राननायास्तु पानायापि न दृश्यते । अन्या वै रथचक्राख्या श्रूयतां वचनं मम
'Even for my tiger-faced self, there does not appear to be enough to drink.' Another, called Rathacakra, said, 'Listen to my words.'
करिष्ये कुंडलमहं केनांत्रैरस्य मेखलाम् । अन्यावददहं दंतैरेकतः श्यामलीकृतैः
I will make earrings and a girdle from his intestines.' Another said, 'I will make dice for the gaming hall from his teeth, blackened together.'
रमे षोडशभिर्द्यूतशालायां तद्विशारदः । इत्युक्त्वा ताः मिथः सर्वास्तंद्विजं प्रति दुद्रुवुः
He is skilled in the game with sixteen dice in the gambling hall. Having spoken thus among themselves, they all rushed at the twice-born man.
विवृतास्या ललज्जिह्वाः प्रद्योतैकमहाभुजाः । आयांतीस्ताः समालोक्य ब्राह्मणो भयविह्वलः
With mouths wide open, tongues lolling, and arms shining like great pillars, as they approached, the brahmin, seeing them, was seized with fear.
आत्मानमभितश्चक्रे रक्षां वेदोदितां नृप । ता आगत्य स्थिता दूरं राक्षस्यो भीमविक्रमाः
O King, he protected himself on all sides with Vedic mantras as prescribed; those demonesses of terrible might came near and stood at a distance.
तेजसा तस्य मंत्रैश्च प्रत्यादिष्टा नराधिपः । ऊचुश्च को भवानत्र कुतः प्राप्तोऽसि तद्वद
Repelled by his brilliance and mantras, O king, they said: 'Who are you here? From where have you come? Tell us that.'
त्वद्दर्शनान्मनोऽस्माकं प्रसादमधिगच्छति । त्वत्पादस्पर्शनात्किं नो न विप्र भविता फलम् । अतो मूर्द्धसु नो देहि स्वकीयं पादपंकजम्
'By seeing you, our minds attain peace; what fruit, O brahmin, will not come from touching your feet? Therefore, place your lotus-like foot on our heads.'
नारद उवाच- इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तासां जगाद हरिदत्तजः । द्विज उवाच- कृत्वा पवित्रतीर्थानि ब्राह्मणोऽहं समागतः
Narada said: Hearing their words, Haridatta's son replied. The brahmin said: 'Having performed sacred baths at holy places, I, a brahmin, have come here.'
सांप्रतं पुष्करं यामि भवतीभिः किमिच्छते । यतस्तत्प्रार्थ्यतां दातुं शक्तो दास्यामि चेत्तदा
'Now I am going to Pushkara. What do you wish from me? Ask for whatever you desire; if I am able, I will give it.'
राक्षस्य ऊचुः । येषु तीर्थेषु विप्रेंद्र त्वया स्नातं वदस्व नः । तानि सर्वाणि पुण्यानि मोचयातः कुजन्मनः । अस्मानतितरां तृष्णा क्षुद्भ्यां दारुणदुःखदात्
The demonesses said: 'O best of brahmins, tell us at which holy places you have bathed. All those are sacred and can liberate those of evil birth. Our suffering from thirst and hunger is exceedingly harsh.'
ब्राह्मण उवाच- अवंतीमाश्रमात्पूर्वमहं हरिपुरीमितः । गतोऽहं द्वारकां तस्मात्स्नात्वा सोमोद्भवा जले
The brahmin said: 'From the hermitage at Avanti, I went to the city of Hari; from there, to Dvaraka, where I bathed in the water born of Soma.'
ततः प्राप्तः प्रभासाख्यं तीर्थं नीरधितीरगम् । तस्मात्सेतुनिबंधेऽहं स्नातः परमपावने
Then I reached the holy place called Prabhasa, on the shore of the ocean; from there, I bathed at the Setu, the supremely pure causeway.'
तस्मादहं महापुण्यां किष्किंधां समुपागतः । हतो यत्र तु रामेण वाली कपिगणेश्वरः
From there, I have come to the greatly sacred Kishkindha, where Vali, lord of the monkeys, was slain by Rama.'
तस्मान्मठं सरस्वत्यानर्मदातीरसंस्थितम् । समागतोऽहं यत्रास्ति भारती सर्वसेविता
Therefore, I came to the monastery situated on the banks of the Sarasvati and Narmada, where Bhāratī is revered by all.
ततोऽहंमावेशंवेणींतांनत्वादक्षिणापथे । शिवकांची विष्णुकांच्यौ दृष्टे तत्र मया पुरौ
Then, I entered Veṇī in the southern region, where I saw the cities of Śiva-Kāñcī and Viṣṇu-Kāñcī.
ययोर्मरणतो जंतुः शिवो विष्णुश्च जायते । ततोऽहंमुत्कलं प्राप्तो यत्रास्ति हरिरीश्वरः
Where, upon death, a creature is born as Śiva or Viṣṇu; from there, I reached Utkala, where Hari and Īśvara reside.
चतुर्वर्गप्रदः साक्षाद्भक्तानामपि कांक्षितम् । तमर्चयित्वा विधिवद्भक्षयित्वा निवेदितम्
He directly grants the four aims of life and is desired by devotees; after worshipping him properly and offering the prescribed food,
प्रसादभूतं तस्यैव गंगासागरसंगमम् । तत्र देवानृषीन्पितॄंस्तर्पयित्वा यथाविधि
Having received his grace, I went to the confluence of the Ganges and the ocean; there, I satisfied the gods, sages, and ancestors according to the rites.
यत्र गंगाशतमुखी जाता तत्राहमागमम् । ततो गयामुपागत्य पिंडान्दत्त्वा यथाविधि
Where the Ganges emerged with a hundred mouths, I arrived there; then, going to Gayā, I offered oblations as prescribed.
पितृभ्यस्तुलसीपुष्पचंदनोदकपूजितान् । कोशलां शरयूं वारिकर्णधारनभस्वता
To the ancestors, I offered tulasi flowers, sandalwood, and water in worship; then, I went to Kośalā and the Sarayū, whose waters are carried by the wind.
पवित्रिताखिलजनांस्पर्शनेनाहमागमम् । तत्रास्ति गोप्रताराख्यं तीर्थं त्रिदशदुर्ल्लभम्
I arrived there, purified by the touch of all the people; there is the sacred ford called Gopratāra, rare even for the gods.
तत्र स्नानादिकं कर्म निशाचर्यः कृतं मया । ततः काशीमहंप्राप्तो राजधानीमुमापतेः
There, I performed bathing and other rites as prescribed; then, I reached Kāśī, the royal city of Umāpati.
नत्वा विश्वेश्वरं देवं बिंदुमाधवमेव च । स्नातं मणिकर्णिकायां ज्ञानवाप्यां च भक्तितः
Having bowed to the lord Viśveśvara and also to Bindumādhava, I bathed with devotion at Maṇikarṇikā and at the well of knowledge.
त्रिरात्रिमुषितस्तत्र प्रयागं पुनरागमम् । पौषशुक्लचतुर्दश्यां साक्षाद्यत्र प्रजापतिः
I stayed there for three nights, then returned again to Prayāga, where Prajāpati is manifest on the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight of Pauṣa.
एकस्मिन्माघमासे तु स्नानं कृत्वाऽरुणोदये । पुनस्तस्मात्समायातो नैमिषं गोमतीतटे
In the month of Māgha, I bathed at dawn; then, from there, I went to Naimiṣa, on the bank of the Gomati.
यत्र तीर्थानि सर्वाणि वसंति च स्वमायया । ततोऽहं मथुरां प्राप्तो यत्र विश्रांतिसंज्ञकम्
Where all sacred fords exist by their own power; from there, I reached Mathurā, where the place called Viśrānti is found.
तीर्थं तत्सन्निधौ पुण्यमसिकुंडाख्यमुत्तमम् । कृष्णगंगा ध्रुवाक्रूर केशिकालीयतीर्थभृत्
Near that, there is the supreme sacred ford called Asikuṇḍa; Kṛṣṇagaṅgā, Dhruvā, Akrūra, Keśikālīya, and other fords.
यमुनास्ति महापुण्या यत्र सर्वार्थदायिनी । उभयोः कूलयोस्तस्या वनानि द्वादश श्रिया
There is the Yamunā, greatly sacred, granting all desires; on both her banks are twelve forests, resplendent with wealth.
राजमानानि खेचर्यः समस्तार्थकराणि च । संति तेषु नरः स्नात्वा पीत्वा भूयो न जायते
Majestic, traversed by the gods, and fulfilling all purposes; those who bathe and drink there are not born again.