निहत्य नमुचिं मित्रं तपसा स्वर्गमाप्तवान्। तत्र दत्तं नरैः श्राद्धमनंतफलदं भवेत्
Having slain Namuci, his enemy, through austerity Indra attained heaven; there, śrāddha offerings made by men yield endless rewards.
पुष्करं नाम वै तीर्थं शालग्रामं तथैव च। शोणपातश्च विख्यातो यत्र वैश्वानराशयः
There is the holy place called Puṣkara, and likewise Śālagrāma; also renowned is Śoṇapāta, where the sage Vaiśvānara resides.
तीर्थं सारस्वतं चैव स्वामितीर्थं तथैव च। मलंदरा नदी पुण्या कौशिकी चंद्रका तथा
There is also the sacred Sarasvata tīrtha, and likewise the Svāmitīrtha; the holy river Malaṃdarā, Kauśikī, and also Candrakā.
विदर्भा चाथ वेगा च पयोष्णी प्राङ्मुखा परा। कावेरी चोत्तरांगा च तथा जालंधरो गिरिः
Then Vidarbha, and the swift river Vegā, Payoṣṇī facing east, Kāverī, Uttaraṅgā, and the mountain Jālaṃdhara.
एतेषु श्राद्धतीर्थेषु श्राद्धमानंत्यमश्नुते। लोहदंडं तथा तीर्थं चित्रकूटस्तथैव च
At these holy places for śrāddha, one attains the highest result from śrāddha; also at Lohadaṇḍa tīrtha and likewise at Citrakūṭa.
दिव्यं सर्वत्र गंगायास्तथा नद्यास्तटं शुभम्। कुब्जाम्रकं तथा तीर्थमुर्वशीपुलिनं तथा
Everywhere, the banks of the divine Gaṅgā and other auspicious rivers are sacred; so too are the holy places Kubjāmraka and Urvaśīpulina.
संसारमोचनं तीर्थं तथैव ऋणमोचनम्। एतेषु पितृतीर्थेषु श्राद्धमानंत्यमश्नुते
There is the tīrtha that grants liberation from worldly existence, and likewise the tīrtha that releases from debts; at these ancestral holy places, śrāddha yields the highest result.
अट्टहासं तथा तीर्थं गौतमेश्वरमेव च। तथा वसिष्ठतीर्थं च भारतं च ततः परम्
There is the tīrtha called Aṭṭahāsa, and also Gautameśvara; likewise, the tīrtha of Vasiṣṭha, and then Bhārata.
ब्रह्मावर्तं कुशावर्तं हंसतीर्थं तथैव च। पिंडारकं च विख्यातं शंखोद्धारं तथैव च
There are Brahmāvarta, Kuśāvarta, and likewise Haṃsatīrtha; also the renowned Piṇḍāraka and likewise Śaṃkhoddhāra.
भांडेश्वरं बिल्वकं च नीलपर्वतमेव च। तथा च बदरीतीर्थं सर्वतीर्थेश्वरेश्वरम्
There are Bhāṇḍeśvara, Bilvaka, and also Nīlaparvata; likewise, the tīrtha of Badarī and Sarvatīrtheśvareśvara.
वसुधाराह्वयं तीर्थं रामतीर्थं तथैव च। जयंती विजया चैव शुक्लतीर्थं तथैव च
There is the tīrtha called Vasudhārā, and likewise Rāmatīrtha; also Jayantī, Vijayā, and likewise Śuklatīrtha.
एषु श्राद्धप्रदातारः प्रयांति परमं पदम्। तीर्थं मातृगृहं नाम करवीरपुरं तथा
Those who offer śrāddha at these places attain the highest state; there is also the tīrtha called Mātṛgṛha and likewise Karavīrapura.
सप्तगोदावरीनाम सर्वतीर्थेश्वरेश्वरम्। तत्र श्राद्धं प्रदातव्यमनंतफलमीप्सुभिः
There is the tīrtha named Saptagodāvarī, the Lord of all tīrthas; there, those desiring infinite results should offer śrāddha.
कीकटेषु गया पुण्या पुण्यं राजगृहं वनम्। च्यवनस्याश्रमं पुण्यं नदी पुण्या पुनःपुना
In Kīkaṭa, there is the holy Gayā, and the sacred forest of Rājagṛha; the holy hermitage of Cyavana, and again, the sacred river Punahpunā.
विषयाराधनं पुण्यं नदी या तु पुनःपुना। यत्र गाथा विचरति ब्रह्मणा परिकीर्तिता
The worship of the senses is meritorious, and so is a river that is visited again and again; where this verse, praised by Brahmā, circulates.
एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्रा यद्येकोपि गयां व्रजेत्। यजेत वाश्वमेधेन नीलं वा वृषमुत्सृजेत्
Many sons are to be desired, if even one of them should go to Gayā, or perform an Aśvamedha sacrifice, or release a blue bull.
एषा गाथा विचरति तीर्थेष्वायतनेषु च। सर्वे मनुष्या राजेंद्र कीर्त्तयंतः समागताः
This verse circulates in the sacred fords and shrines, O king, recited by all people who gather together.
किमस्माकं कुले कश्चिद्गयां यास्यति यः सुतः। प्रीणयिष्यति तान्गत्वा सप्तपूर्वांस्तथापरान्
Who among our lineage will be the son to go to Gayā, who, by going there, will gladden both the seven ancestors and those who came after?
मातामहानामप्येवं श्रुतिरेषा चिरंतनी। गंगायामस्थिनिचयं गत्वा क्षेप्स्यति यः सुतः
This ancient tradition is also spoken concerning maternal grandfathers: the son who, having gone to the Gaṅgā, will cast the collection of bones there.
तिलैः सप्ताष्टभिर्वापि दास्यते च जलांजलिम्। अरण्यत्रितये वापि पिंडदानं करिष्यति
Or who will offer water with seven or eight sesame seeds, or perform the offering of rice-balls in any of the three forests.
प्रथमं पुष्करारण्ये नैमिषे तदनंतरं। धर्मारण्यं पुनः प्राप्य श्राद्धं भक्त्या प्रदास्यति
First in Puṣkara forest, then in Naimiṣa, and again, having reached Dharmāraṇya, he will devoutly offer the śrāddha.
गयायां धर्मपृष्ठे वा सरसि ब्रह्मणस्तथा। गयाशीर्षवटे चैव पितॄणां दत्तमक्षयम्
In Gayā, at Dharmapṛṣṭha, or in the lake of Brahmā, and at the sacred fig tree at Gayā—whatever is given to the ancestors there is imperishable.
व्रजन्कृत्वा निवापं यस्त्वध्वानं परिसर्पति। नरकस्थान्पितॄन्सोपि स्वर्गं नयति सत्वरं
He who, having performed the offering, travels along the path—he quickly leads his ancestors dwelling in hell to heaven.
कुले तस्य न राजेंद्र प्रेतो भवति कश्चन। प्रेतत्वं मोक्षभावं च पिंडदानाच्च गच्छति
In his lineage, O king, no one becomes a ghost; by the offering of rice-balls, both ghosthood and bondage are removed.
एको मुनिस्ताम्रकराग्रहस्तो ह्याम्रेषु मूले सलिलं ददाति। आम्राश्च सिक्ताः पितरश्च तृप्ता एका क्रिया द्व्यर्थकरी प्रसिद्धा
A sage, with copper-colored hands, gives water at the root of a mango tree; the mango trees are watered, the ancestors are satisfied—one act, renowned, accomplishes two purposes.
गयायां पिण्डदानस्य नान्यद्दानं विशिष्यते। एकेन पिंडदानेन तृप्तास्ते मोक्षगामिनः
No other gift surpasses the offering of rice-balls at Gayā; by a single offering, those seeking liberation are satisfied.
धान्यप्रदानं प्रवरं वदंति वसुप्रदानं च तथामुनींद्राः। गया सुतीर्थेषु नरैः प्रदत्तं तद्धर्महेतुं प्रवरं वदंति
The best of sages declare that the giving of grain and wealth is supreme; what is given by men at the holy fords of Gayā is said to be the highest cause of righteousness.
सर्वात्मना सुरुचिना महाचल महानदी। ये तु पश्यंति तां गत्वा मानसे दक्षिणोत्तरे
Whoever, with all their heart and great delight, sees that great mountain and great river, having gone to the southern or northern part of Mānasā lake—
प्रणम्य द्विजमुख्येभ्यः प्राप्तं तैर्जन्मनः फलं। यद्यदिच्छति वै मर्त्यस्तत्तदाप्नोत्यसंशयम्
Having bowed to the foremost twice-born, they attain the fruit of their birth; whatever a mortal desires, he surely obtains.
एष तूद्देशतः प्रोक्तस्तीर्थानां सग्रहो मया। वागीशोपि न शक्नोति विस्तरात्किमु मानुषः
Thus, I have briefly described the collection of holy fords; even the lord of speech cannot describe them in detail, so how could a human?