ततोहमागमं पुण्यं हस्तिनापुरमुत्तमम् । यत्र श्रीपतिपादाब्ज जाता गंगा सरिद्वरा
Then, I arrived at the supremely sacred Hastināpura, where the Ganges, the best of rivers, arose from the lotus feet of Śrīpati.
ततो नारायणस्थानं हिमवद्भूमिसंस्थितम् । आगत्य माधवं दृष्ट्वा केदारमहमागमम्
Then, I went to the abode of Nārāyaṇa, situated in the land of the Himalayas; having seen Mādhava, I arrived at Kedāra.
तत्र संपूज्य विश्वेशं पीत्वा हंसोदकं पुनः । हरिद्वारं महापुण्यमागमं जाह्नवीतटे
There, having worshipped the Lord of the Universe and again drunk the water of the Hamsa, I came to the greatly sacred Haridvara on the bank of the Jahnavi.
तत्र स्नात्वापितॄन्देवानृषीन्संतर्प्य चाप्यहम् । समागतः कुरुक्षेत्रे यत्र प्राची सरस्वती
There, after bathing and satisfying the ancestors, gods, and sages, I arrived at Kurukshetra, where the eastern Sarasvati flows.
तत्राप्यहं क्रियाः सर्वाः कृतवान्नियतेंद्रियः । अर्चयित्वा च पादाब्जं श्रीपतेः पुष्करं प्रति
There too, with controlled senses, I performed all the rites, and after worshipping the lotus feet of the Lord of Shri, I set out for Pushkara.
चलितो मार्गमध्ये तु विमलो नाम मे सखा । मिलितो मां व्रजन्गेहमिंद्रप्रस्थात्तु तीर्थतः
While on the way, my friend named Vimala met me, coming from the holy place of Indraprastha to Vraja.
नीतोऽहं तेन राक्षस्यः पुनस्तत्र द्विजन्मना । तीर्थेति मे परावृत्य शक्रप्रस्थेऽखिलार्थदे
By him, a twice-born, I was again led to the place of the Rakshasi; then, turning back from the holy place, I returned to Shakraprastha, the giver of all wishes.
तत्रास्ति द्वारका पुण्या निर्मिता विष्णुना स्वयम् । तत्रावलोकितः साक्षाद्विष्णुर्वाक्यान्नरूपतः
There is the sacred Dvaraka, constructed by Vishnu himself; there, Vishnu was seen directly, in human form, as declared by his words.
तत्राहं स च संस्नातौ विष्णुभक्तिप्रलब्धये । दत्ता सा विष्णुना मह्यं तस्मै च कृष्णमूर्तिना
There, both he and I bathed for the sake of attaining devotion to Vishnu; that devotion was granted to me and to him by Vishnu in the form of Krishna.
श्रुत्वा तत्र हरेर्वाणी न रूपं वै विलोकितम् । भक्तिर्लब्धा ततः स्थानाद्यमहं पुष्करं प्रति
There, I heard the voice of Hari, but did not see his form; from that place I obtained devotion, and then I went towards Pushkara.
तस्य तीर्थाधिपस्येदं द्वारकाख्यस्य वै जलम् । कमंडलुगतं पुण्यं निशाचर्यो वदाम्यहम्
Of the lord of that holy place, called Dvaraka, this water—held in the water-pot—is sacred; I, the night-wanderer, declare this.
भवतीभिरहं पृष्टो यत्तदाख्यातमेव मे । दृष्ट्वा वो दुर्दशामेतां कृपा मे जायते हृदि
What you have asked me, I have now recounted; seeing your present misfortune, compassion arises in my heart.
उच्यतां किं करोम्यद्य भवतीनां वशो ह्यहम् । ज्ञानं भवतु युष्माकमिति ताः सिषिचेंभसा
Tell me, what shall I do today? I am under your authority. May knowledge arise in you—so saying, he sprinkled them with water.
तास्तज्जलाभिमर्शात्तु सर्वेषां जन्मकर्मणां । संस्मृत्य तत्यजुश्चैव राक्षसं देहमुल्बणम्
By the touch of that water, remembering all their births and deeds, they abandoned their fierce Rakshasa bodies.
आसाद्य देवतादेहं विमानं सप्तमागतम् । आरुह्याप्सरसो भूत्वा ताः प्रणेमुर्द्विजन्मने
Having attained divine bodies and ascending the seventh celestial chariot, they became apsarases and bowed to the twice-born sage.
ऊचुश्च भो द्विजश्रेष्ठ द्वारकाजलसंगमात् । राक्षसत्वाद्वयं मुक्ता गच्छामस्त्रिदशालयम्
And they said, 'O best of twice-born, by the union with the water of Dvaraka, we are freed from Rakshasa existence and go to the abode of the gods.'
इंद्रप्रस्थांतरावर्तिन्येषा या द्वारका द्विज । नातः परतरं लोकेऽन्यत्तीर्थमखिलार्थदम्
'O twice-born, this Dvaraka, situated within Indraprastha, is supreme; there is no other holy place in the world that grants all desires as this does.'
नारद उवाच- इत्युक्त्वा ताःसमारूढा विमानेषु महीपते । जग्मुः प्रार्चीं दिशं तेन दत्ताज्ञा वै द्विजन्मना
Narada said: Having spoken thus, they mounted the celestial chariots, O king, and went to the eastern direction, having received permission from the twice-born.
यमुनातीरवर्तिन्या द्वारकाया महीपते । शृण्वन्माहात्म्यमेतस्या नरः पापैः प्रमुच्यते
O king, by the Yamuna's bank stands Dvaraka; hearing its greatness, a man is freed from sins.
वेदज्ञानां ब्राह्मणानां शतस्येच्छासु भोजनात् । यत्फलं श्रवणादस्मान्महिम्नस्तत्प्रजायते
The merit gained by feeding a hundred Brahmins learned in the Vedas is produced by merely hearing this glory.
गोविंदाराधने सम्यग्यथा वै सौख्यमिंद्रियम् । माहात्म्यश्रवणादस्या द्वारकायास्तथा नृप
Just as there is pleasure for the senses in the proper worship of Govinda, O King, so too is there happiness from hearing the greatness of this Dvaraka.
सूर्येंदुग्रहणे दानात्सुवर्णपलविंशतेः । यत्फलं शृण्वतैतस्या माहात्म्यं तदवाप्यते
The merit gained by giving twenty measures of gold during a solar or lunar eclipse is attained by one who listens to this greatness.
विमलस्य सुतप्राप्तिं श्रुत्वा सुत इहाप्यते । तत्सख्युर्भक्तिलाभं च लभ्यते भक्तिरुत्तमा
Hearing the pure account of the attainment of a son, one obtains a son here; and the supreme devotion that is gained by his friend is also attained.
राक्षसीनां विमोक्षं यः शृणोति श्रद्धयान्वितः । स याति ता इव श्रेष्ठं विमानेन सुरालयम्
Whoever hears with faith about the liberation of the demonesses goes, like them, in a splendid chariot to the abode of the gods.
नृपवरमहिमा ते वर्णितो द्वारकायास्त्रिभुवनजनसेव्या शक्रतीर्थस्थितायाः । किमपरमतिपुण्यं वर्णयामि त्वदग्रे कथय न हि विधेयः श्रेयसि स्वे विलंबः
The greatness of the noble king and of Dvaraka, revered by the people of the three worlds and situated at Indra's holy place, has been described. What further supreme merit shall I narrate before you? Speak, for in the pursuit of the highest good, there should be no delay.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे कालिन्दी। माहात्म्ये द्वारकायाख्यानंनाम अष्टाधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the two hundred and eighth chapter, entitled 'The Story of Dvaraka,' in the section on the greatness of Kalindi, in the Uttarakanda of the glorious Padma Purana, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- सौभरे कस्य तीर्थस्य माहात्म्यं नारदो मुनिः । वर्णयामास शिबये शक्रतीर्थगतस्य च
Yudhishthira said: O sage, which holy place's greatness did Narada describe to Shibi when he had gone to Indra's sacred site?
अतस्तु मम शुश्रूषा जायते मुनिपुंगवः । शिविनारदसंवादं ब्रूहि पुण्यं नताय मे
Therefore, O foremost of sages, a desire to hear arises in me; tell me the virtuous conversation between Shibi and Narada, for I bow and thirst for your nectar-like words.
सौभरिरुवाच- धर्मराज शिबीराजा श्रुत्वा नारदवर्णितम् । द्वारकायास्तु माहात्म्यं तमेवापृच्छदादरात्
Saubhari said: O king of righteousness, King Shibi, having heard Narada's account of the greatness of Dvaraka, respectfully asked him further.
शिबिरुवाच- ब्रह्मांगज सुरश्रेष्ठ श्रुतं माहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । इंद्रप्रस्थतटस्थाया द्वारकाया मयाद्भुतम्
Shibi said: O best of gods, son of Brahma, I have heard the supreme greatness of Dvaraka, which stands on the bank of Indraprastha, and it is wondrous to me.