प्रसादाद्देवदेवस्य ब्रह्मणः शुभकारिणः। भीष्म उवाच। आचाराः परमा धर्माः क्षेत्रधर्मपरायणाः
By the grace of the god of gods, Brahmā, the beneficent one—Bhīṣma said: The highest dharmas are those of conduct, devoted to the duties of the sacred field.
स्वधर्माचारनिरता जितक्रोधा जितेंद्रियाः। ब्रह्मलोकं व्रजंतीति नैतच्चित्रं मतं मम
Those devoted to their own righteous conduct, who have conquered anger and mastered their senses, attain Brahmā's world; this, to me, is not surprising.
असंशयं च गच्छंति लोकानन्यानपि द्विजाः। विना पद्मोपवासेन तथैव नियमेन च
Without doubt, twice-born ones also reach other worlds, even without the Padma fast or such observances.
स्त्रियो म्लेछाश्च शूद्राश्च पक्षिणः पशवो मृगाः। मूका जडान्धबधिरास्तपो नियमवर्जिताः
Women, foreigners, Śūdras, birds, cattle, wild animals, the mute, the dull, the blind, the deaf—those lacking in austerity and discipline—
तेषां वद गतिं विप्र पुष्करे ये त्ववस्थिताः। पुलस्त्य उवाच। स्त्रियो म्लेच्छाश्च शूद्राश्च पशवः पक्षिणो मृगाः
Tell me, O brāhmaṇa, the fate of those who dwell at Puṣkara—women, foreigners, Śūdras, cattle, birds, wild animals—
पुष्करे तु मृता भीष्म ब्रह्मलोकं व्रजंति ते। शरीरैर्दिव्यरूपैस्तु विमानै रविसप्रभैः
O Bhīṣma, those who die at Puṣkara—women, foreigners, Śūdras, cattle, birds, wild animals—go to Brahmā's world with bodies of divine form, in aerial chariots shining like the sun.
दिव्यव्यूहसमायुक्तैः सुवर्णवरकेतनैः। सुवर्णवज्रसोपानमणिस्तंभविभूषितैः
They are adorned with divine retinues, with golden, splendid banners, golden and diamond stairways, and pillars studded with jewels.
सर्वकामोपभोगाढ्यैः कामगैः कामरूपिभिः। नानारसाढ्यं गच्छंति स्त्रीसहस्रसमाकुलाः
They attain enjoyment of all desires, accompanied by wish-fulfilling beings, and surrounded by thousands of women.
ब्रह्मलोकं महात्मानो लोकानन्यान्यथेप्सितान्। ब्रह्मलोकाच्च्युताश्चापि क्रमाद्द्वीपेषु यांति ते
The great-souled attain Brahmā's world and other desired realms; and, having fallen from Brahmā's world, they go in order to the islands (of the earth).
कुले महति विस्तीर्णे धनी भवति स द्विजः। तिर्यग्योनि गता ये तु सर्पकीटपिपीलिकाः
In a great and prosperous family, that twice-born is born wealthy; but those who have entered animal wombs—serpents, insects, ants—
स्थलजा जलजाश्चैव स्वेदांडोद्भिज्जरायुजाः। सकामा वाप्यकामा वा पुष्करे तु वने मृताः
Whether land-born, water-born, sweat-born, egg-born, or womb-born, whether with desire or without, those who die in the forest at Puṣkara—
सूर्यप्रभविमानस्था ब्रह्मलोकं प्रयांति ते। कलौ युगे महाघोरे प्रजाः पापसमीरिताः
They go to Brahmā's world, riding in aerial chariots radiant as the sun. In the terrible Kali age, people are driven by sin.
नान्येनास्मिन्नुपायेन धर्मः स्वर्गश्च लभ्यते। वसंति पुष्करे ये तु ब्रह्मार्चनरता नराः
By no other means in this world are dharma and heaven attained; but those men who dwell at Puṣkara, devoted to worship of Brahmā—
कलौ युगे कृतार्थास्ते क्लिश्यंत्यन्ये निरर्थकाः। रात्रौ करोति यत्पापं नरः पंचभिरिंद्रियैः
In the Kali age, they achieve their purpose; others, fruitless, suffer. Whatever sin a man commits at night with the five senses—
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा कामक्रोधवशानुगाः। प्रातः स जलमासाद्य पुष्करे तु पितामहम्
By deed, mind, or speech, under the sway of desire and anger—if, in the morning, he approaches the Grandsire at Puṣkara and becomes pure—
अभिगम्य शुचिर्भूत्त्वा तस्मात्पापात्प्रमुच्यते। उदयेऽर्कस्य चारभ्य यावद्दर्शनमूर्ध्वगम्
He is freed from that sin, having come purified at sunrise to the presence of the sun, until its sight ascends overhead.
मानसाख्ये प्रसंचिंत्य ब्रह्मयोगे हरेदघम्। दृष्ट्वा विरिंचिं मध्याह्ने नरः पापात्प्रमुच्यते
By contemplating with the mind, known as mental concentration, and by practicing union with Brahman, one removes sin; seeing Brahma at midday, a person is freed from sin.
मध्याह्नास्तमयान्तं यदिंद्रियैः पापमाचरेत्। पितामहस्य संध्यायां दर्शनादेव मुच्यते
If, between midday and sunset, a person commits sin with the senses, he is released merely by seeing the Sandhya of the Grandfather (Brahma).
शब्दादीन्विषयान्सर्वान्भुंजानोपि सकामतः। यः पुष्करे ब्रह्मभक्तो निवसेत्तपसि स्थितः
Even one who, with desire, enjoys all objects of the senses—sound and the rest—if he dwells at Pushkara, devoted to Brahma and established in austerity,
पुष्करारण्यमध्यस्थो मिष्टान्नास्वादभोजनः। त्रिकालमपि भुंजानो वायुभक्षसमो मतः
Dwelling in the midst of the Pushkara forest, eating delicious food, even if he eats three times a day, he is regarded as equal to one who subsists on air.
वसंति पुष्करे ये तु नराः सुकृतकर्मिणः। ते लभंते महाभोगान्क्षेत्रस्यास्य प्रभावतः
Those men of virtuous deeds who reside at Pushkara obtain great enjoyments by the power of this sacred place.
यथा महोदधेस्तुल्यो न चान्योऽस्ति जलाशयः। तथा वै पुष्करस्यापि समं तीर्थं न विद्यते
Just as there is no other body of water equal to the great ocean, so too, there is no sacred place equal to Pushkara.
पुष्करारण्यसदृशं तीर्थं नास्त्यधिकं गुणैः। अथ तेऽन्यान्प्रवक्ष्यामि क्षेत्रे येऽस्मिन्व्यवस्थिताः
There is no holy place superior in qualities to the Pushkara forest; now I will tell you of others who are established in this field.
विष्णुना सहिताः सर्व इंद्राद्याश्च दिवौकसः। गजवक्त्रः कुमारश्च रेवंतः सदिवाकरः
All the gods, including Indra and the rest, together with Vishnu, the elephant-faced one (Ganesha), Kumara, Revanta, and the Sun,
शिवदूती तथा देवी कन्या क्षेमंकरी सदा। अलं तपोभिर्नियमैः सुक्रियार्चनकारिणाम्
Shivaduti, the goddess, the maiden who always brings welfare—these are ever satisfied by the austerities, restraints, and worship performed by the virtuous.
व्रतोपवासकर्माणि कृत्वान्यत्र महांत्यपि। ज्येष्ठे तु पुष्करारण्ये यस्तिष्ठति निरुद्यमः
Even if one performs great vows, fasts, and rituals elsewhere, whoever remains without effort in the chief Pushkara forest,
लभते सर्वकामित्वं योऽत्रैवास्ते द्विजः सदा। पितामहसमं याति स्थानं परममव्ययम्
That twice-born who always stays here attains the fulfillment of all desires and reaches the supreme, imperishable state equal to that of the Grandfather (Brahma).
कृते द्वादशभिर्वर्षैस्त्रेतायां हायनेन तु। मासेन द्वापरे भीष्म अहोरात्रेण तत्कलौ
In the Krita age, it takes twelve years; in the Treta, one year; in the Dvapara, a month; and in the Kali age, a single day and night, O Bhishma.
फलं संप्राप्यते लोके क्षेत्रेस्मिंस्तीर्थवासिभिः। इत्येवं देवदेवेन पुरोक्तं ब्रह्मणा मम
The fruit is obtained in this world by those who dwell at this sacred place, as previously declared to me by Brahma, the god of gods.
नातः परतरं किंचित्क्षेत्रमस्तीह भूतले। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेनारण्यमेतत्समाश्रयेत्
There is no field on this earth superior to this; therefore, with all effort, one should take refuge in this forest.