सकुटुंबः सुते न्यस्य धुरं राज्यस्य निर्भृताम् । इति व्यवस्य संध्यायां हरिं ध्यायन्निशांतरे
Entrusting the full burden of the kingdom to my son, with my family, thus resolved, at twilight, meditating on Hari through the night—
अद्राक्षीत्स्वप्नमप्येकं ब्राह्मणं तापसं वरम् । प्रातरुत्थाय राजासौ कृत्वा संध्यादिकाः क्रियाः
He saw in a dream a single brahmin, a great ascetic; rising at dawn, the king performed his morning rites.
सभां मंत्रिजनैः सार्द्धं सुखमासेदिवान्महान् । तावद्विप्रं ददर्शाथ तापसं कृशदेहिनम्
He happily sat in assembly with his ministers; then he saw the brahmin ascetic, emaciated in body.
जटावल्कलकौपीनधारिणं दंडपाणिनम् । अनेकतीर्थसेवाभिः कृतपुण्यकलेवरम्
Wearing matted hair, bark garments, and a loincloth, staff in hand, his body sanctified by service at 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 the brahmin was seated comfortably and rested, the king questioned him, knowing him to be wise: 'Master, by seeing you today, the sin of my body is gone.'
महांतः कृपणान्पातुं यांति तद्गेहमादरात् । तस्मात्कथय भो विप्र वृद्धस्य मम संप्रति
Great souls go with respect to the homes of the wretched to protect them; therefore, O Brahmin, tell me now about my aged father.
को देवो गर्भनाशाय किं तीर्थं च क्षमं भवेत् । यूयं सर्वगताः श्रेष्ठाः समाधिध्यानतत्पराः
Which deity is to be worshipped for the removal of miscarriage, and which sacred place is suitable? You all are the best, ever engaged in meditation and absorption.
सर्वतीर्थावगाहेन कृतपुण्यात्मनोऽमलाः । यथावच्छृण्वते मह्यं श्रद्दधानाय विस्तरात्
Pure in soul through bathing in all the sacred waters, you listen properly and in detail to me, who is full of faith.
कथयस्व प्रसादेन सर्वतीर्थविचक्षण । ब्राह्मण उवाच। शृणु राजेंद्र वक्ष्यामि यत्पृष्टं तीर्थसेवनम्
Please tell me, by your grace, O knower of all holy places. The Brahmin said: Hear, O king, I will tell you about the observance of holy places as you have asked.
कस्य देवस्य कृपया गर्भनिर्वारणं भवेत् । सेव्यः श्रीरामचंद्रोऽसौ संसारज्वरनाशकः
By the compassion of which god is miscarriage prevented? That Lord Śrī Rāma should be served, the destroyer of the fever of worldly existence.
पूज्यः स एव भगवान्पुरुषोत्तमसंज्ञकः । नाना पुर्यो मया दृष्टाः सर्वपापक्षयंकराः
He alone is to be worshipped, the Lord known as Puruṣottama. I have seen many cities that destroy all sins.
अयोध्या सरयूस्तापी तथा द्वारं हरेः परम् । अवंती विमला कांची रेवा सागरगामिनी
Ayodhyā, the Sarayū, the Tāpi, and also the supreme gate 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 crores of murders; 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 the water, dark or clear, touches the limbs of men, that holy place removes sin—I have seen this.
मया द्वारवती दृष्टा सुरासुर निषेविता । गोमती यत्र वहति साक्षाद्ब्रह्मजला शुभा
I have seen Dvāravatī, frequented by gods and demons, where the auspicious river Gomati flows, truly water of Brahman.
यत्र स्वापो लयः प्रोक्तो मृतिर्मोक्ष इति श्रुतिः । यस्यां संवसतां नॄणां न कलि प्रभवेत्क्वचित्
Where sleep, dissolution, and death are said to be liberation, so declares the scripture; and where Kali does not prevail among those who dwell there.
चक्रांका यत्र पाषाणा मानवा अपि चक्रिणः । पशवः कीटपक्ष्याद्याः सर्वे चक्रशरीरिणः
Where stones are marked with the discus, and even men bear the discus; all creatures—cattle, insects, birds—have the mark of the discus on their bodies.
त्रिविक्रमो वसेद्यस्यां सर्वलोकैकपालकः । सा पुरी तु महापुण्यैर्मया दृग्गोचरीकृता
Where Trivikrama dwells, the sole protector of all the worlds; that city, filled with great merit, has been made visible to me.
कुरुक्षेत्रं मया दृष्टं सर्वहत्यापनोदनम् । स्यमंतपंचकं यत्र महापातकनाशनम्
I have seen Kurukṣetra, which removes all killing; and there is Syamantapañcaka, destroyer of great sins.
वाराणसी मया दृष्टा विश्वनाथकृतालया । यत्रोपदिशते मंत्रं तारकं ब्रह्मसंज्ञितम्
I have seen Vārāṇasī, the abode established by Viśvanātha, where the mantra called Tāraka, signifying Brahman, is imparted.
यस्यां मृताः कीटपतंगभृंगाः पश्वादयो वा सुरयोनयो वा । स्वकर्मसंभोगसुखं विहाय गच्छंति कैलासमतीतदुःखाः
Where those who die—be they insects, moths, bees, cattle, or even gods—abandon the pleasures born of their own actions and, free from all suffering, go to Kailāsa.
मणिकर्णिर्यत्र तीर्थं यस्यामुत्तरवाहिनी । करोति संसृतेर्बंधच्छेदं पापकृतामपि
Where is the holy place Maṇikarṇikā, where the river flows northward; it cuts the bonds of transmigration even for those who have committed sins.
कपर्दिनः कुंडलिनः सर्पभूषाधरावराः । गजचर्मपरीधाना वसंति गतदुःखकाः
Where the followers of Kapardin, the coiled one, adorned with serpent ornaments, clad in elephant skins, dwell free from sorrow.
कालभैरवनामात्र करोति यमशासनम् । न करोति नृणां वार्तां यमो दंडधरः प्रभुः
Only Kālabhairava enforces Yama's command; Yama, the lord who wields the rod, does not concern himself with the affairs of men.
एतादृशी मया दृष्टा काशी विश्वेश्वरांकिता । अनेकान्यपि तीर्थानि मया दृष्टानि भूमिप
Such is the Kāśī I have seen, marked by Viśveśvara; I have also seen many other sacred places, O king.
परमेकं महच्चित्रं यद्दृष्टं नीलपर्वते । पुरुषोत्तमसान्निध्ये तन्न क्वाप्यक्षिगोचरम्
But the one supreme, wondrous thing I saw upon the Nīla mountain—by the presence of the Supreme Person—cannot be seen anywhere else by the eyes.
ब्राह्मण उवाच। राजंस्त्वं शृणु यद्वृत्तं नीले पर्वतसत्तमे । यच्छ्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा यांति ब्रह्म सनातनम्
The brāhmaṇa said: O king, listen to what happened on the excellent Nīla mountain, where faithful people attain the eternal Brahman.
मया पर्यटता तत्र गतं नीलाभिधे गिरौ । गंगासागरतोयेन क्षालितप्रांगणे मुहुः
As I wandered there, I went to the mountain called Nīla, whose courtyard was repeatedly washed by the waters of the Gaṅgā and the ocean.
तत्र भिल्ला मया दृष्टाः पर्वताग्रे धनुर्भृतः । चतुर्भुजा मूलफलैर्भक्ष्यैर्निर्वाहितक्लमाः
There I saw Bhillas on the mountain peak, armed with bows, four-armed, their fatigue relieved by roots, fruits, and edible things.