हा वयं कर्मविभ्रष्टाः कामतः कर्मबंधनात्। एवं विलप्य बहुशस्त्रयस्ते योगपारगाः
'Alas, we are fallen from our duties, bound by karma out of desire!' Lamenting thus, those masters of yoga, versed in many scriptures—
विस्मयाच्छ्राद्धमाहाम्यमभिनंद्य पुनः पुनः। स तु तस्मै धनं दत्त्वा प्रभूतग्रामसंयुतम्
Amazed, they praised the greatness of the śrāddha again and again; and he gave him wealth, together with many villages.
विसृज्य ब्राह्मणं तं च वृद्धं धनमदान्वितम्। आत्मीयं नृपतिः पुत्रं नृपलक्षणसंयुतम्
The king, setting aside that elderly brāhmaṇa who was filled with pride in his wealth, appointed his own son, endowed with the marks of royalty.
विष्वक्सेनाभिधानं च राजाराज्येभ्यषेचयत्। मानसे सलिले सर्वे ततस्ते योगिनां वराः
He anointed his son, named Viṣvaksena, as ruler over the kingdoms; and then all those foremost of yogins, in the waters of the Mānasa lake—
ब्रह्मदत्तादयस्तस्मिन्पितृभक्ता विमत्सराः। सन्नतिश्चाभवद्धृष्टा मयैव तव दर्शितम्
Brahmadatta and the others, devoted to their ancestors and free from envy, became bold in their humility, as I have shown you.
राजन्योगफलं सर्वं यदेतदभिलक्ष्यते। तथेति प्राह राजापि पुरस्तादभिनंदयन्
The king, rejoicing in front of them, said: 'All the fruits of royal yoga that are sought after—so it is, just as you have said.'
त्वत्प्रसादादिदं सर्वं मयैवं प्राप्यते फलम्
'All this fruit has been attained by me through your grace alone.'
ततस्ते योगमास्थाय सर्व एव वनौकसः। ब्रह्मरंध्रेण परमं पदमापुस्तपोबलात्
Then all those forest-dwellers, having taken up yoga, attained the supreme state through the Brahmarandhra by the power of their austerity.
एवमायुर्धनं विद्यां स्वर्गमोक्षसुखानि च। प्रयच्छंति सुतं राज्यं नृणां तुष्टाः पितामहाः
In this way, the grandfathers, when pleased, grant to men long life, wealth, knowledge, the joys of heaven and liberation, as well as sons and kingdoms.
इदं च पितृमाहात्म्यं ब्रह्मदत्तस्य वै नृप। द्विजेभ्यः श्रावयेद्विद्वान्शृणोति पठतेपि वा। कल्पकोटिशतं साग्रं ब्रह्मलोके महीयते
O king, this greatness of the ancestors of Brahmadatta—if a learned man recites or hears it read to the twice-born, he is honored in the world of Brahmā for a full hundred crores of kalpas.
भीष्म उवाच। कस्मिन्वासरभागे तु श्राद्धी श्राद्धं समाचरेत्। तीर्थेषु केषु वै श्राद्धं कृतं बहुफलं द्विज
Bhīṣma said: At what time of day should one perform the śrāddha rite? And at which holy places does performing śrāddha yield the greatest fruit, O twice-born?
पुलस्त्य उवाच। तीर्थं तु पुष्करं नाम यत्तु श्रेष्ठतमं स्मृतम्। सर्वेषां द्विजमुख्यानां मनोरथमिव स्थितम्
Pulastya said: The holy place called Puṣkara is regarded as the most excellent; it stands as the cherished wish of all foremost brāhmaṇas.
तत्र दत्तं हुतं जप्तमनन्तं भवति ध्रुवम्। पितॄणां वल्लभं नित्यमृषीणां परमं मतम्
Whatever is given, offered in sacrifice, or recited there becomes infinite and certain; it is always dear to the ancestors and held as supreme by the sages.
नंदाथ ललिता तद्वत्तीर्थं मायापुरी शुभा। तथा मित्रपदं राजंस्ततः केदारमुत्तमम्
Likewise, the holy places Nandā and Lalitā, and the auspicious city of Māyāpurī; also Mitrapada, and then the most excellent Kedāra.
गंगासागरमित्याहुः सर्वतीर्थमयं शुभम्। तीर्थं ब्रह्मसरस्तद्वच्छतद्रुसलिलं शुभम्
They say that Gaṅgāsāgara is the auspicious holy place made of all tīrthas; also the holy lake of Brahmā, and likewise the auspicious waters of the Śatadru.
तीर्थं तु नैमिषं नाम सर्वतीर्थफलप्रदम्। गंगोद्भेदस्तु गोमत्यां यत्रोद्भूतः सनातनः
There is also the holy place called Naimiṣa, which grants the fruit of all holy places; and where the eternal Gaṅgā emerges in the Gomati.
तथा यज्ञवराहस्तु देवदेवश्च शूलधृक्। यत्र तत्कांचनं दानमष्टादशभुजो हरः
There too is Yajñavarāha, and the god of gods who bears the trident; there, the eighteen-armed Hara receives the gift of gold.
नेमिस्तु धर्मचक्रस्य शीर्णा यत्राभवत्पुरा। तदेतन्नैमिशारण्यं सर्वतीर्थनिषेवितम्
There, in ancient times, the rim of the wheel of dharma was worn away by Nemi; that is the Naimiṣāraṇya, frequented by all holy places.
देवदेवस्य तत्रापि वराहस्य च दर्शनम्। यः प्रयाति स पूतात्मा नारायणपुरं व्रजेत्
There, too, is the vision of the god of gods and of Varāha; whoever goes there, purified in soul, reaches the city of Nārāyaṇa.
कोकामुखं परं तीर्थमिन्द्रमार्गोपि लक्ष्यते। अथापि पितृतीर्थं तु ब्रह्मणोव्यक्तजन्मनः
Kokāmukha is regarded as a supreme holy place, as is Indramārga; and also Pitṛtīrtha, belonging to Brahmā of unmanifest birth.
पुष्करारण्यसंस्थोसौ यत्र देवः पितामहः। विरिंचिदर्शनं श्रेष्ठमपवर्गफलप्रदम्
There, in the Puṣkara forest, the god Pitāmaha abides; the supreme vision of Viṣṇu is found there, bestowing the fruit of liberation.
कृतं नाम महापुण्यं सर्वपापनिषूदनम्। यत्राद्यो नारसिंहस्तु स्वयमेव जनार्दनः
It is called Kṛta, supremely meritorious and destroyer of all sins, where the primeval Nārasiṃha, Janārdana himself, appeared.
तीर्थमिक्षुमतीनाम पितॄणां च शुभावहा। तुष्यन्ति पितरो नित्यं गंगायमुनसंगमे
There is a sacred ford named Ikṣumatī, auspicious for the ancestors; the forefathers are always satisfied at the confluence of the Gaṅgā and Yamunā.
कुरुक्षेत्रं महापुण्यं यत्र मार्गोपि लक्ष्यते। अद्यापि पितृतीर्थं तु सर्वकामफलप्रदम्
Kurukṣetra is supremely holy, where the path is also marked; even now, the ancestral ford there grants the fruit of all desires.
नीलकण्ठमिति ख्यातं पितृतीर्थं नराधिप। तथा भद्रसरः पुण्यं सरो मानसमेव च
The ancestral ford known as Nīlakaṇṭha, O king, as well as the holy Bhadrasara and also the lake called Mānasā, are renowned.
मंदाकिनी तथाऽच्छोदा विपाशा च सरस्वती। सर्वमित्रपदं तद्वद्वैद्यनाथं महाफलम्
Mandākinī, Acchodā, Vipāśā, and Sarasvatī likewise; the place called Sarvamitrapada, and Vaidyanātha, which yields great results.
क्षिप्रा नदी तथा पुण्या तथा कालञ्जरं शुभम्। तीर्थोद्भेदं हरोद्भेदं गर्भभेदं महालयम्
The sacred river Kṣiprā, and also the auspicious Kālañjara; the emergence of tīrthas, the emergence of Hara, Garbha-bheda, and the great shrine.
भद्रेश्वरं विष्णुपदं नर्मदा द्वारमेव च। गयापिंडप्रदानेन समान्याहुर्महर्षयः
Bhadreśvara, Viṣṇupada, and the very gateway of the Narmadā; the sages declare that offering piṇḍa at Gayā is equivalent to these.
एतानि पितृतीर्थानि सर्वपापहराणि च। स्मरणादपि लोकानां किमु श्राद्धप्रदायिनाम्
These are the ancestral fords, which remove all sins; what then for those who perform śrāddha there, if even remembering them benefits the worlds?
ॐकारं पितृतीर्थं तु कावेरीकपिलोदकम्। संभेदश्चण्डवेगायां तथैवामरकंटकम्
Oṃkāra is an ancestral ford, as is the water of Kāverī and Kapilā; the confluence at Caṇḍavegā, and likewise Amarakaṇṭaka.