अद्राक्षीत्स्वप्नमप्येकं ब्राह्मणं तापसं वरम् । प्रातरुत्थाय राजासौ कृत्वा संध्यादिकाः क्रियाः
He saw in a dream a single brāhmaṇa, a noble ascetic; rising at dawn, the king performed his morning rites.
सभां मंत्रिजनैः सार्द्धं सुखमासेदिवान्महान् । तावद्विप्रं ददर्शाथ तापसं कृशदेहिनम्
He sat happily in assembly with his ministers; then he saw the brāhmaṇa, an ascetic with a lean body.
जटावल्कलकौपीनधारिणं दंडपाणिनम् । अनेकतीर्थसेवाभिः कृतपुण्यकलेवरम्
Wearing matted locks, bark garments, and a loincloth, staff in hand, his body sanctified by the merit of serving many holy places.
राजा तं वीक्ष्य शिरसा प्रणनाम महाभुजः । अर्घ्यपाद्यादिकं चक्रे प्रहृष्टात्मा महीपतिः
The king, seeing him, bowed his head, that mighty-armed one; the delighted ruler offered him water for washing feet and other honors.
सुखोपविष्टं विश्रांतं पप्रच्छ विदितं द्विजम् । स्वामिंस्त्वद्दर्शनान्मेऽद्य गतं देहस्य पातकम्
When he was comfortably seated and rested, the king questioned the learned brāhmaṇa: 'Master, by seeing you today, the sin of my body is gone.'
महांतः कृपणान्पातुं यांति तद्गेहमादरात् । तस्मात्कथय भो विप्र वृद्धस्य मम संप्रति
Great souls, out of compassion, go to the homes of the afflicted with honor; therefore, O brāhmaṇa, tell me now, in my old age—
को देवो गर्भनाशाय किं तीर्थं च क्षमं भवेत् । यूयं सर्वगताः श्रेष्ठाः समाधिध्यानतत्पराः
Which deity is for the destruction of rebirth, and which holy place is suitable? You are all-pervading, foremost, intent on meditation and concentration.
सर्वतीर्थावगाहेन कृतपुण्यात्मनोऽमलाः । यथावच्छृण्वते मह्यं श्रद्दधानाय विस्तरात्
Pure by the merit of bathing in all holy places, you are spotless in soul; therefore, listen to me in detail, as I faithfully ask.
कथयस्व प्रसादेन सर्वतीर्थविचक्षण । ब्राह्मण उवाच। शृणु राजेंद्र वक्ष्यामि यत्पृष्टं तीर्थसेवनम्
Out of grace, O expert in all sacred waters, tell me—said the king. The Brahmin spoke: Listen, O king, I will tell you about the observance of sacred places as you have asked.
कस्य देवस्य कृपया गर्भनिर्वारणं भवेत् । सेव्यः श्रीरामचंद्रोऽसौ संसारज्वरनाशकः
By the compassion of which deity is release from the womb attained? It is that blessed Rāma, destroyer of the fever of worldly existence, who is to be served.
पूज्यः स एव भगवान्पुरुषोत्तमसंज्ञकः । नाना पुर्यो मया दृष्टाः सर्वपापक्षयंकराः
He alone is to be worshipped, that Lord known as Puruṣottama. I have seen many sacred places that destroy all sins.
अयोध्या सरयूस्तापी तथा द्वारं हरेः परम् । अवंती विमला कांची रेवा सागरगामिनी
Ayodhyā, the Sarayū, Tāpi, and also the supreme gateway of Hari; Avantī, the pure Kāñcī, and the Revā flowing to the ocean—
गोकर्णं हाटकाख्यं च हत्याकोटिविनाशनम् । मल्लिकाख्यो महाशैलो मोक्षदः पश्यतां नृणाम्
Gokarṇa, the place called Hāṭaka, which destroys countless killings; the great mountain called Mallikā, which grants liberation to those who behold it—
यत्रांगेषु नृणां तोयं श्यामं वा निर्मलं भवेत् । पातकस्यापहारीदं मया दृष्टं तु तीर्थकम्
Wherever, on the limbs of people, the water is dark or pure, that sacred place, which I have seen, removes sin.
मया द्वारवती दृष्टा सुरासुर निषेविता । गोमती यत्र वहति साक्षाद्ब्रह्मजला शुभा
I have seen Dvāravatī, served by gods and demons, where the auspicious Gomati flows, truly water of Brahman.
यत्र स्वापो लयः प्रोक्तो मृतिर्मोक्ष इति श्रुतिः । यस्यां संवसतां नॄणां न कलि प्रभवेत्क्वचित्
Where sleep, dissolution, death, and liberation are proclaimed by the scriptures; where, for those who dwell there, Kali never prevails at all—
चक्रांका यत्र पाषाणा मानवा अपि चक्रिणः । पशवः कीटपक्ष्याद्याः सर्वे चक्रशरीरिणः
Where stones are marked with the discus, and even humans bear the sign of the discus; all creatures—beasts, insects, birds—are marked by the discus.
त्रिविक्रमो वसेद्यस्यां सर्वलोकैकपालकः । सा पुरी तु महापुण्यैर्मया दृग्गोचरीकृता
Where Trivikrama dwells, the sole protector of all worlds; that city, adorned with great merit, has come within my sight.
कुरुक्षेत्रं मया दृष्टं सर्वहत्यापनोदनम् । स्यमंतपंचकं यत्र महापातकनाशनम्
I have seen Kurukṣetra, which removes all killings; and Syamantapañcaka, where even the gravest sins are destroyed.
वाराणसी मया दृष्टा विश्वनाथकृतालया । यत्रोपदिशते मंत्रं तारकं ब्रह्मसंज्ञितम्
I have seen Vārāṇasī, the abode established by Viśvanātha, where the mantra called Tāraka, bearing the name of Brahman, is imparted.
यस्यां मृताः कीटपतंगभृंगाः पश्वादयो वा सुरयोनयो वा । स्वकर्मसंभोगसुखं विहाय गच्छंति कैलासमतीतदुःखाः
In that place, those who die—whether insects, moths, bees, animals, or even divine beings—abandon the pleasures earned by their deeds and, freed from all suffering, go to Kailāsa.
मणिकर्णिर्यत्र तीर्थं यस्यामुत्तरवाहिनी । करोति संसृतेर्बंधच्छेदं पापकृतामपि
Where the sacred place Maṇikarṇikā is found, where the river flows northward, it severs the bonds of worldly existence, even for those who have committed sin.
कपर्दिनः कुंडलिनः सर्पभूषाधरावराः । गजचर्मपरीधाना वसंति गतदुःखकाः
There dwell those adorned with matted hair, with coiled locks, wearing snake ornaments, clothed in elephant hides, who are free from sorrow.
कालभैरवनामात्र करोति यमशासनम् । न करोति नृणां वार्तां यमो दंडधरः प्रभुः
At the mere name of Kālabhairava, the commands of Yama are rendered void; the lord Yama, wielder of the rod, does not concern himself with the affairs of people.
एतादृशी मया दृष्टा काशी विश्वेश्वरांकिता । अनेकान्यपि तीर्थानि मया दृष्टानि भूमिप
Such is Kāśī, marked by Viśveśvara, as I have seen; and many other sacred places have I seen, O king.
परमेकं महच्चित्रं यद्दृष्टं नीलपर्वते । पुरुषोत्तमसान्निध्ये तन्न क्वाप्यक्षिगोचरम्
But the one supreme, wondrous place I saw on the Nīla mountain, in the presence of Puruṣottama—that is not visible anywhere else.
शेष उवाच। तच्छ्रुत्वा भाषितं तस्य सुरथस्यांगदाननात् । सज्जीभूता रणे सर्वे रथस्था रणकोविदाः
Śeṣa said: Hearing those words spoken by Suratha with a resolute face, all the warriors skilled in battle, standing on their chariots, became ready for war.
पटहानां निनादोऽभूद्भेरीनादस्तथैव च । वीराणां गर्जनानादाः प्रादुर्भूता रणांगणे
There arose the sound of war drums and likewise the blare of trumpets, and the roars of heroes echoed forth on the battlefield.
रथचीत्कारशब्देन गजानां बृंहितेन च । व्याप्तं तत्सकलं विश्वं दिवं यातो महारवः
With the clamor of chariot wheels and the trumpeting of elephants, that great tumult spread throughout the whole world, reaching even the heavens.
रणोत्साहेन संयुक्ता वीरा रणविशारदाः । कुर्वंति विविधान्नादान्कातरस्य भयंकरान्
The warriors, united with battle enthusiasm and skilled in war, made various terrifying sounds to strike fear into the faint-hearted.