अनेकशाखाविततश्चतुर्मुख इवापरः। तत्कोटरकुटीकोटि प्रविष्टानां द्विजन्मनाम्
With many spreading branches, it appeared like another Four-faced One; in the hollows of its roots were countless huts of the twice-born.
श्रूयंते विविधा वाचः सुराणां रक्तचेतसाम्। वनस्पतिरपुष्पोपि पुष्पितश्चोपलक्ष्यते
Various voices of the gods, whose hearts were delighted, are heard there; though the tree bore no flowers, it was seen as if blossoming.
जातीचंपकवत्पुष्पैः शाखालग्नैः शुकैः शुभैः। केतकीभिः सुरभिभिरशोभत सरिद्वरा
The best of rivers was adorned with beautiful parrots clinging to its branches, with jasmine and champaka flowers, and fragrant ketaki blossoms.
कोकिलाभिस्स मालेव फेनकैः पुष्पितेव सा। हरेणेव यथा गंगा प्लक्षेणैव हि सा तथा
With cuckoos like garlands, with foam like blossoms, she shone, just as Ganga does with the hare or with the plaksha tree.
तत्रांभस्था तदा देवं प्रोवाचाथ जनार्दनम्। समर्पयस्व तं वह्निं देवादेशं करोम्यहम्
There, standing in the water, she then spoke to the god Janardana: 'Offer that fire; I will carry out the command of the gods.'
एवमुक्तेन सा तेन प्रत्युक्ता विष्णुना तदा। न ते दाहभयं त्याज्यस्त्वयायं वह्निराट्स्वयम्
Thus addressed by her, Vishnu replied at that time: 'You need not fear burning; this fire-lord is not to be abandoned by you.'
पश्चिमं सागरं नेतुं वाडवज्वलनं शुभे। एवं क्रमेण गच्छंत्या तदापं प्राप्स्यते शुभे
To lead the submarine fire to the western ocean, O auspicious one, proceed in this manner; thus, you will reach the waters, O blessed one.
ततस्तं शातकुंभस्थं कृत्वासौ वडवानलं। समर्पयत गोविंदः सरस्वत्या महोदरे
Then Govinda placed the submarine fire in a golden vessel and entrusted it to Sarasvati, the great river.
सा तं गृहीत्वा सुश्रोणी प्रतीच्यभिमुखी ययौ। अंतर्द्धानेन संप्राप्ता पुष्करं सा महानदी
She, the beautiful-hipped one, taking it, went westward; by her power of concealment, the great river reached Pushkara.
मर्यादापर्वते तस्मिन्संभूता विमला सरित्। पुष्करारण्यं विपुलं सुरसिद्धनिषेवितम्
At that boundary mountain, the pure river arose; the vast forest of Pushkara was frequented by gods and perfected beings.
पितामहेन यत्रासीद्यज्ञसत्रं निषेवितम्। सिध्यर्थं मुनिमुख्यानामागतासौ महानदी
There, the grandsire performed a sacrificial session; for the success of the foremost sages, the great river arrived there.
येषु तत्र कृतो होमः कुंडेष्वासीद्विरिंचिना। तानि सर्वाणि संप्लाव्य तोयेनाप्युद्गता हि सा२०० 1.18.
Wherever the sacrifice was performed by Brahma in the fire-pits, she flooded all those with her waters and then emerged.
तत्र क्षेत्रे महापुण्या पुष्करे सा तथोत्थिता। तेन तत्पूरणं प्रोक्तं वायुना जगदायुषा
There, in that sacred field, the highly meritorious Sarasvatī arose in Puṣkara; thus, it is said, the filling of that place was accomplished by Vāyu, the life-breath of the world.
सापि तत्क्षेत्रमासाद्य पुण्यं पुण्या महानदी। सरस्वती स्थिता देवी मर्त्यानां पापनाशिनी
That most auspicious and holy river, Sarasvatī, having reached that field, abides there as a goddess, destroyer of sins for mortals.
तत्र ये शुभकर्माणः पुष्करस्थां सरस्वतीम्। पश्यंति ते न पश्यंति सुघोरां तामधोगतिं
Those who perform virtuous deeds and behold Sarasvatī residing at Puṣkara do not encounter that dreadful, terrible downfall.
यः पुनस्तत्र भावेन नरः स्नानं समाचरेत्। स ब्रह्मलोकमासाद्य ब्रह्मणा सह मोदते
Moreover, any man who, with devotion, bathes there attains the world of Brahmā and delights together with Brahmā.
यस्तु दद्यात्तत्र दधि ब्राह्मणाय मनोरमम्। सोप्यग्निलोकमासाद्य भुंक्ते भोगान्सुशोभनान्
And whoever gives delightful curds there to a brāhmaṇa attains the world of Agni and enjoys splendid pleasures.
वरं प्रावरणं योपि भक्त्या दद्याद्द्विजातये। सोपि सद्वस्त्रदानस्य फलं दशगुणं लभेत्
Even one who gives, with devotion, a fine garment to a twice-born there receives a tenfold reward of the gift of good clothing.
ज्येष्ठकुंडे नरः स्नात्वा यः संतर्पयते पितॄन्। स तानुद्धरते सर्वान्नरकादपि शुद्धधीः
A man of pure mind who, after bathing in the Jyeṣṭha pool, offers oblations to the ancestors, rescues them all even from hell.
क्षेत्रे पैतामहे पूते पुण्यां प्राप्य सरस्वतीम्। नरः किं प्रार्थयेदन्यत्तीर्थं ब्रह्मसुतोब्रवीत्
In the pure ancestral field, having attained the holy Sarasvatī, what other sacred place should a man desire? So spoke the son of Brahmā.
तस्मात्सर्वेषु तीर्थेषु स्नातः प्राप्नोति यत्फलम्। तत्सर्वं प्राप्नुयान्मर्त्यो ज्येष्ठकुंडे सकृत्प्लुतः
Therefore, whatever fruit is obtained by bathing at all the sacred places, a mortal attains all that by plunging once into the Jyeṣṭha pool.
किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन क्षेत्रं तीर्थं गतिश्शुभा। येनैतत्त्रितयं प्राप्तं प्राप्ता तेन गतिः परा
Why speak at length? The field, the sacred place, and the auspicious path—whoever attains this triad, attains the highest state.
काले क्षेत्रे तथा तीर्थे स्नात्वा हुत्वापि तत्र यः। प्रयच्छते द्विजायार्थं सोनंतं सुखमश्नुते
Whoever, at the proper time, in the field and at the sacred place, bathes, offers oblations, and gives to a brāhmaṇa there, enjoys endless happiness.
कार्त्तिके मासि शुक्ले च वैशाखे शशिभूषणे। चंद्रसूर्योपरागे च काले च कुरुजांगले
In the month of Kārttika, in the bright fortnight, in Vaiśākha adorned by the moon, at the time of lunar or solar eclipse, and in the land of the Kurus—
क्षेत्रेष्वेतेषु तीर्थानि यान्युक्तानि मुनीश्वरैः। तेषां पुण्यतमं तीर्थमिदमाह पितामहः
Among these fields, the sacred places mentioned by the great sages, Pitāmaha declared this to be the most meritorious of all sacred places.
कुंडे तु मध्यमे स्नात्वा कार्तिक्यां यः पुमान्द्विजे। प्रयच्छते चापि द्रव्यं सोश्वमेधमवाप्नुयात्
Whoever, after bathing in the middle pool during Kārttikā, gives wealth to a brāhmaṇa, obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
एवं कनिष्ठकेप्यत्र कुंडे स्नात्वा समाधिना। यः प्रयच्छति विप्राय सुरूपामपि शालिकाम्
Likewise, even in the lesser pool, whoever bathes here with concentration and gives to a brāhmaṇa even beautiful rice,
स प्रयाति नरः क्षिप्रमग्निलोकं मनोरमम्। त्रिःसप्तकुलसंयुक्तो भुंक्ते तत्र महाफलम्
That man quickly attains the delightful world of Agni, and, together with twenty-one generations, enjoys great reward there.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन गमनाय मतिः स्थिरा। पुरुषेण तु कर्तव्या पुष्करावाप्तये शुभा
Therefore, with every effort, a man should firmly set his mind on going to the auspicious Puṣkara.
पुष्करारण्यमासाद्य प्राची यत्र सरस्वती। मतिः स्मृतिः शुभा प्रज्ञा मेधा बुद्धिर्दयापरा
Having reached the Puṣkara forest, where the eastern Sarasvatī flows, one attains pure resolve, memory, wisdom, intelligence, and supreme compassion.