तदास्माभिर्गृहं प्राप्तो बालको वीक्षितो मुहुः । चतुर्भुजत्वं संप्राप्तः शंखचक्रादिधारकः
Then, when we reached home, the boy was observed repeatedly; he had gained four arms and was bearing the conch, discus, and other emblems.
अस्माभिः पृष्टमेतस्य किमेतज्जातमद्भुतम् । तदा प्रोवाच नः सर्वान्बालकः परमाद्भुतम्
We asked him about this, how such a marvelous thing had occurred; then the boy spoke to us all, most wondrously.
शिखराग्रे गतः पूर्वं तत्र दृष्टः सुरेश्वरः । तत्र नैवेद्यसिक्थं तु मया प्राप्तं मनोहरम्
Earlier, I went to the mountain peak and saw the Lord of the gods there; I obtained the delightful offering of sweet food at that place.
तस्य भक्षणमात्रेण कारणेन तु सांप्रतम् । चतुर्भुजत्वं संप्राप्तो विस्मयेन समन्वितः
By the very act of eating it, for that reason, I have now attained four arms, filled with astonishment.
तच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचस्तस्य सद्यः संप्राप्तविस्मयैः । अस्माभिरप्यसौ दृष्टो देवः परमदुर्ल्लभः
Hearing his words, we too were immediately struck with wonder; we also saw that god, exceedingly rare to behold.
अन्नादिकं तत्र भुक्तं सर्वस्वादसमन्वितम् । वयं चतुर्भुजा जाता देवस्य कृपया पुनः । गत्वा त्वमपि देवस्य दर्शनं कुरु सत्तम
There we ate food and other offerings, all imbued with supreme taste; we became four-armed by the god's grace once more. Go, you too, and seek the vision of the god, O noble one.
भुक्त्वा तत्रान्नसिक्थं तु भव विप्र चतुर्भुजः । त्वया पृष्टं यदाश्चर्यं तदुक्तं वाडवर्षभ
Eat the sweet food offering there, O brahmin, and become four-armed; what you asked as a wonder, O best among the Vada people, has thus been told.
ब्राह्मण उवाच। इति श्रुत्वा तु तद्वाक्यं भिल्लानामहमद्भुतम् । अत्याश्चर्यमिदं मत्वा प्रहृष्टोऽभवमित्युत
The Brahmin said: Hearing those words of the Bhillas, so marvelous, I considered this exceedingly astonishing and became filled with joy.
गंगासागरसंयोगे स्नात्वा पुण्यकलेवरः । शृंगमारुरुहे तत्र मणिमाणिक्यचित्रितम्
At the confluence of the Ganga and the ocean, I bathed, my body purified; then I climbed the peak adorned with jewels and rubies.
तत्रापश्यं महाराज देवं देवादिवंदितम् । नमस्कृत्वा कृतार्थोऽहं जातोन्नप्राशनेन च
There, O king, I saw the god, revered by gods and others; after bowing, I was fulfilled, having partaken of the sacred food.
चतुर्भुजत्वं संप्राप्तः शंखचक्रादिचिह्नितम् । पुरुषोत्तमदर्शनेन न पुनर्गर्भमाविशम्
Having attained four arms, marked with the symbols of the conch and discus, by the vision of the Supreme Person, I do not enter the womb again.
राजंस्त्वमपि तत्राशु गच्छ नीलाभिधं गिरिम् । कृतार्थं कुरु चात्मानं गर्भदुःखविवर्जितम्
O King, you too should quickly go there, to the mountain called Nīla; fulfill your purpose and make yourself free from the suffering of the womb.
इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य वाडवाग्र्यस्य धीमतः । पप्रच्छ हृष्टगात्रस्तु तीर्थयात्राविधिं मुनिम्
Hearing these words of the wise and foremost sage Vāḍavāgra, his body thrilled with joy, he then asked the sage about the procedure for pilgrimage.
राजोवाच। साधु विप्राग्र्य हे साधो त्वया प्रोक्तं ममानघ । पुरुषोत्तममाहात्म्यं शृण्वतां पापनाशनम्
The king said: Excellent, O best of Brāhmaṇas, O holy one, you have spoken to me, O sinless one, of the greatness of the Supreme Person, which destroys sin for those who hear it.
ब्रूहि तत्तीर्थयात्रायां विधिं श्रुतिसमन्वितम् । विधिना केन संपूर्ण फलप्राप्तिर्नृणां भवेत्
Tell me, what is the procedure for pilgrimage, accompanied by scriptural authority? By what method is the full fruit obtained by people?
ब्राह्मण उवाच। शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि तीर्थयात्राविधिं शुभम् । येन संप्राप्यते देवः सुरासुरनमस्कृतः
The Brāhmaṇa said: Listen, O King, I shall explain the auspicious procedure of pilgrimage, by which one attains the Lord, worshipped by gods and demons.
वलीपलितदेहो वा यौवनेनान्वितोऽपि वा । ज्ञात्वा मृत्युमनिस्तीर्यं हरिं शरणमाव्रजेत्
Whether one's body is wrinkled and gray or still endowed with youth, knowing that death is inescapable, one should take refuge in Hari.
तत्कीर्तने तच्छ्रवणे वंदने तस्य पूजने । मतिरेव प्रकर्तव्या नान्यत्र वनितादिषु
In his praise, in hearing about him, in saluting him, in worshipping him—one's mind should be engaged, not in women or elsewhere.
सर्वं नश्वरमालोक्य क्षणस्थायि सुदुःखदम् । जन्ममृत्युजरातीतं भक्तिवल्लभमच्युतम्
Seeing all as perishable, lasting but a moment and full of suffering, one should remember Acyuta, who is beyond birth, death, and old age, and dear to the devoted.
क्रोधात्कामाद्भयाद्द्वेषाल्लोभाद्दंभान्नरः पुनः । यथाकथंचिद्विभजन्न स दुःखं समश्नुते
Whether by anger, desire, fear, hatred, greed, or hypocrisy, however one worships him, that person does not experience suffering.
स हरिर्जायते साधुसंगमात्पापवर्जितात् । येषां कृपातः पुरुषा भवंत्यसुखवर्जिताः
That Hari arises from the company of the virtuous, free from sin; by his compassion, such people become free from unhappiness.
ते साधवः शांतरागाः कामलोभविवर्जिताः । ब्रुवंति यन्महाराज तत्संसारनिवर्तकम्
Those virtuous ones, free from passion and devoid of desire and greed, O great king, speak that which leads to release from worldly existence.
तीर्थेषु लभ्यते साधू रामचंद्र परायणः । यद्दर्शनं नृणां पापराशिदाहाशुशुक्षणिः
In holy places are found such virtuous ones devoted to Rāma; the sight of whom quickly dries up the heap of sins in people.
तस्मात्तीर्थेषु गंतव्यं नरैः संसारभीरुभिः । पुण्योदकेषु सततं साधुश्रेणिविराजिषु
Therefore, those who fear worldly existence should always go to holy places with sacred waters, adorned by assemblies of virtuous people.
तानि तीर्थानि विधिना दृष्टानि प्रहरंत्यघम् । तं विधिं नृपशार्दूल कुरुष्व श्रुतिगोचरम्
Those holy places, seen according to the prescribed method, remove sin; O best of kings, perform that procedure which is in accord with the scriptures.
विरागं जनयेत्पूर्वं कलत्रादि कुटुंबके । असत्यभूतं तज्ज्ञात्वा हरिं तु मनसा स्मरेत्
First, one should generate detachment from wife and family, knowing them to be unreal; then, one should remember Hari in the mind.
क्रोशमात्रं ततो गत्वा रामरामेति च ब्रुवन् । तत्र तीर्थादिषु स्नात्वा क्षौरं कुर्याद्विधानवित्
Then, going a krośa’s distance, uttering 'Rāma, Rāma,' one should bathe at those holy places and, being versed in the procedure, perform shaving.
मनुष्याणां च पापानि तीर्थानि प्रति गच्छताम् । केशानाश्रित्य तिष्ठंति तस्माद्वपनमाचरेत्
The sins of people going to holy places reside in their hair; therefore, one should perform the shaving.
ततो दंडं तु निर्ग्रन्थिं कमंडलुमथाजिनम् । बिभृयाल्लोभनिर्मुक्तस्तीर्थवेषधरो नरः
Then, free from greed, a man should carry a staff without knots, a water pot, and a deer skin, adopting the attire of a pilgrim.
विधिना गच्छतां नॄणां फलावाप्तिर्विशेषतः । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन तीर्थयात्राविधिं चरेत्
When people proceed according to the prescribed method, the attainment of the fruit is especially assured; therefore, one should undertake the pilgrimage ritual with all effort.