ऐंद्रजालिकविद्याध्रास्तथा वार्तासुकोविदाः । प्रशंसंतो महाराजं निर्ययुः पुरमध्यतः
Magicians, masters of illusion, and those skilled in news and stories, praising the great king, departed from the city.
राजापि तत्र निर्वर्त्य प्रातःसंध्यादिकाः क्रियाः । ब्राह्मणं तापसश्रेष्ठमानिनाय सुनिर्मलम्
There, the king, having performed the morning rites, brought the foremost and purest ascetic Brāhmaṇa with him.
तदाज्ञया महाराजो निर्जगाम पुराद्बहिः । लोकैरनुगतो राजा बभौ चंद्र इवोडुभिः
By his command, the great king left the city, followed by the people, shining like the moon among the stars.
क्रोशमात्रं स गत्वाथ क्षौरं कृत्वा विधानतः । दंडं कमंडलुं बिभ्रन्मृगचर्म तथा शुभम्
Having gone a krośa’s distance, he performed the prescribed tonsure, and bore a staff, water-pot, and a fine deer skin.
शुभवेषेण संयुक्तो हरिध्यानपरायणः । कामक्रोधादिरहितं मनो बिभ्रन्महायशाः
Endowed with auspicious attire, devoted to meditation on Hari, the illustrious one maintained a mind free from desire, anger, and the like.
तदा दुंदुभयो भेर्य आनकाः पणवास्तथा । शंखवीणादिकाश्चैवाध्मातास्तद्वादकैर्मुहुः
Then kettledrums, drums, cymbals, and likewise small drums, as well as conches, lutes, and other instruments, were repeatedly sounded by the musicians.
जय देवेश दुःखघ्न पुरुषोत्तमसंज्ञित । दर्शयस्व तनुं मह्यं वदंतो निर्ययुर्जनाः
People went forth, proclaiming, 'Victory to the Lord of gods, destroyer of sorrow, known as the Supreme Person! Reveal your form to me.'
सुमतिरुवाच। अथ प्रयाते भूपाले सर्वलोकसमन्विते । महाभागैर्वैष्णवैश्च गायकैः कृष्णकीर्तनम्
Sumati said: Then, as the king departed, accompanied by all the people and the greatly fortunate Vaiṣṇavas, the singers performed praises of Kṛṣṇa.
शुश्रावासौ महाराजो मार्गे गोविंदकीर्तनम् । जय माधव भक्तानां शरण्य पुरुषोत्तम
On the way, the great king heard the praises of Govinda: 'Victory to Mādhava, refuge of devotees, Supreme Person!'
मार्गे तीर्थान्यनेकानि कुर्वन्पश्यन्महोदयम् । तापसब्राह्मणात्तेषां महिमानमथा शृणोत्
On the way, seeing many holy places and performing great acts, he heard of the greatness of the ascetics and brāhmaṇas there.
विचित्रविष्णुवार्ताभिर्विनोदितमना नृपः । मार्गेमार्गे महाविष्णुं गापयामास गायकान्
The king, his mind delighted by wondrous tales of Viṣṇu, had the singers recite hymns to the great Viṣṇu at every stage of the journey.
दीनांधकृपणानां च पंगूनां वासनोचितम् । दानं ददौ महाराजो बुद्धिमान्विजितेंद्रियः
The wise king, master of his senses, gave appropriate gifts to the poor, the blind, the wretched, and the lame.
अनेकतीर्थविरजमात्मानं भव्यतां गतम् । कुर्वन्ययौ स्वीयलोकैर्हरिध्यानपरायणः
Having purified himself at many holy places and attained blessedness, he continued on with his people, devoted to meditation on Hari.
नृपो गच्छन्ददर्शाग्रे नदीं पापप्रणाशिनीम् । चक्रांकितग्रावयुतां मुनिमानस निर्मलाम्
As the king went, he saw ahead a river that destroys sin, adorned with stones marked by the discus, pure as the mind of a sage.
अनेकमुनिवृंदानां बहुश्रेणिविराजिताम् । सारसादिपतत्रीणां कूजितैरुपशोभिताम्
It was graced by many groups of sages, shining with numerous assemblies, and beautified by the calls of cranes, swans, and other waterfowl.
दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छ विप्राग्र्यं तापसं धर्मकोविदम् । अनेकतीर्थमाहात्म्य विशेषज्ञानजृंभितम्
Seeing this, he questioned the foremost brāhmaṇa, an ascetic learned in dharma, who was well-versed in the special glories of the many holy places.
स्वामिन्केयं नदी पुण्या मुनिवृन्दनिषेविता । करोति मम चित्तस्य प्रमोदभरनिर्भरम्
'Master, what is this sacred river, frequented by groups of sages? It fills my heart with abundant joy.'
इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य राजराजस्य धीमतः । वक्तुं प्रचक्रमे विद्वांस्तीर्थमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्
Hearing the words of that wise king of kings, the learned one began to speak of the supreme glory of the holy place.
ब्राह्मण उवाच। गंडकीयं नदी राजन्सुरासुरनिषेविता । पुण्योदकपरीवाह हतपातकसंचया
The brāhmaṇa said: 'O King, this Gaṇḍakī river is frequented by gods and demons. Its sacred waters flow pure, destroying accumulated sins.'
दर्शनान्मानसं पापं स्पर्शनात्कर्मजं दहेत् । वाचिकं स्वीय तोयस्य पानतः पापसंचयम्
'By seeing it, mental sin is burned; by touching it, sin from actions is destroyed; by drinking its own water, the accumulation of verbal sin is removed.'
पुरा दृष्ट्वा प्रजानाथः प्रजाः सर्वा विपावनीः । स्वगंडविप्रुषोनेक पापघ्नीं सृष्टवानिमाम्
'Long ago, seeing all beings in need of purification, the Lord of creatures created this river, which destroys many sins with her own drops.'
एनां नदीं ये पुण्योदां स्पृशंति सुतरंगिणीम् । ते गर्भभाजो नैव स्युरपि पापकृतो नराः
'Those who touch this sacred, many-waved river will not be born in the womb again, even if they are sinners among men.'
अस्यां भवा ये चाश्मानश्चक्रचिह्नैरलंकृताः । ते साक्षाद्भगवंतो हि स्वस्वरूपधराः पराः
Those stones here which are adorned with the mark of the discus—those, indeed, are the Supreme Lords themselves, present in their own true form.
शिलां संपूजयेद्यस्तु नित्यं चक्रयुतां नरः । न जातु स जनन्या वै जठरं समुपाविशेत्
A man who daily worships a stone marked with a discus will never again enter the womb of his mother.
पूजयेद्यो नरो धीमाञ्छालग्रामशिलां वराम् । तेनाचारवता भाव्यं दंभलोभवियोगिना
A wise man who worships the excellent Śālagrāma stone must act with proper conduct, free from hypocrisy and greed.
परदार परद्रव्यविमुखेन नरेण हि । पूजनीयः प्रयत्नेन शालग्रामः सचक्रकः
The Śālagrāma stone with a discus should be worshipped with care by a man who avoids others' wives and others' wealth.
द्वारवत्यां भवं चक्रं शिला वै गंडकीभवा । पुंसां क्षणाद्धरत्येव पापं जन्मशतार्जितम्
The discus is from Dvārakā, the stone is from the Gaṇḍakī river; in a moment, it removes the sins accumulated over hundreds of births for men.
अपि पापसहस्राणां कर्ता तावन्नरो भवेत् । शालग्रामशिलातोयं पीत्वा पूतो भवेत्क्षणात्
Even if a man has committed thousands of sins, by drinking the water from the Śālagrāma stone, he becomes purified instantly.
ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वैश्यः शूद्रो वेदपथि स्थितः । शालग्रामं पूजयित्वा गृहस्थो मोक्षमाप्नुयात्
A Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya, or Śūdra who follows the Vedic path and worships the Śālagrāma stone as a householder attains liberation.
न जातु चित्स्त्रिया कार्यं शालग्रामस्य पूजनम् । भर्तृहीनाथ सुभगा स्वर्गलोकहितैषिणी
A woman should never perform the worship of the Śālagrāma stone, whether she is without a husband, fortunate, or seeking heavenly realms.