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.
सरस्वत्यास्तु पर्यायाष्षडेते संप्रकीर्तिताः। ततः प्रभृति यत्रासौ प्राचीभूता सरस्वती
These six are declared to be alternate names of Sarasvatī; from then on, wherever that Sarasvatī became eastward-flowing—
तत्रस्थं तज्जलं येपि पश्यंति तटसंस्थिताः। तेप्यश्वमेधस्यफलं लभंते नात्र संशयः
Those who, standing on the bank, see the water there, even they obtain the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice—of this there is no doubt.
योवतीर्य पुनस्तत्र कश्चित्स्नानं समाचरेत्। नरः समाधियुक्तो वै ब्रह्मणोनुचरो भवेत्
If someone, after crossing over, bathes there again with concentrated mind, that man becomes an attendant of Brahmā.
शाकादिनापि हि पितॄन्यस्तत्रार्चयते नरः। सोप्येति विपुलान्भोगांस्तेषामेवानुभावतः
Even if a man honors his ancestors there with simple offerings like vegetables, he too attains great enjoyments by their influence.
ये पुनर्विधिना तत्र श्राद्धं कुर्वंति मानवाः। ते नयंति पितॄन्स्वर्गं नरकादपि दुःखदात्
But those men who perform the śrāddha there according to the prescribed rite, they lead their ancestors to heaven, rescuing them even from the pain of hell.
तृप्यंति पितरस्तस्य यस्तत्र कुशमिश्रितम्। स्नात्वा प्रयच्छते तोयं पूतं तेषां तिलान्वितम्
The ancestors of one who, after bathing there, offers pure water mixed with kuśa grass and sesame become satisfied.
सर्वेषामेव तीर्थानामिदमेवाधिकं स्मृतम्। आदितीर्थमिदं तस्मात्तीर्थानां भुवि विश्रुतम्
Of all the sacred fords, this one is regarded as the highest; therefore, this is called the original tīrtha, renowned among all tīrthas on earth.
धर्मापवर्गयोःनक्रीडाननिधिभूतमवस्थितम्। सरस्वत्यानपुनश्चैवनसमेतंनगुणवत्तरम्
Established as the treasure-house of dharma and liberation, there is no tīrtha more excellent than this meeting of Sarasvatī.
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां चतुर्णामपि दायकम्। येप्यत्र मलनाशाय पुमांसो विविशुर्जलम्
It grants all four aims of life—dharma, wealth, pleasure, and liberation—to those men who enter its waters for the removal of impurity.
गोप्रदानसमं तेषां सुखेनैव फलं भवेत्। सुवर्णदानेन सममेवमाहुर्मनीषिणः
For them, the result is easily equal to the gift of a cow; the wise say it is equal to the gift of gold as well.
तर्पणात्पिण्डदानाच्च नरकेष्वपि संस्थिताः। स्वर्गं प्रयान्ति पितरस्तत्र पुत्रेण तारिताः
By libation and offering of balls of food, even ancestors who dwell in hell are led to heaven, rescued by their son there.
पुष्करेपि सरस्वत्यां ये पिबन्ति जलं जनाः। ते लभन्तेऽक्षयान्लोकान्ब्रह्मविश्वेशवंदितान्
Those people who drink the water of Sarasvatī at Puṣkara attain imperishable worlds, honored by Brahmā and Viśveśa.
स्वर्गनिश्रेणिकाभूता पुष्करे च सरस्वती। सा पुण्यवद्भिस्संप्राप्तुं पुंभिश्शक्या महानदी
At Puṣkara, Sarasvatī becomes a ladder to heaven; that great river can be attained by men of merit.
मुनिभर्धर्मतत्त्वज्ञैस्तत्र तत्र निषेविता। तस्मात्सर्वत्र सा देवी पवित्रा सर्वतस्स्थिता
There, at every place, she is frequented by sages who know the essence of dharma; therefore, that goddess is pure and present everywhere.
पुष्करे तु विशेषेण पूतात्पूततमा हि सा। नदी सरस्वती पुण्या सुलभा जगति स्थिता
But at Puṣkara, she is the purest of the pure; the sacred river Sarasvatī is easily found in the world.
दुर्लभा सा कुरुक्षेत्रे प्रभासे पुष्करे तथा। तत्तीर्थं सर्वतीर्थानां प्रवरं विहितं भुवि
She is rare at Kurukṣetra, Prabhāsa, and also at Puṣkara; that tīrtha is established as the foremost of all tīrthas on earth.
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां चतुर्णामपि साधकम्। प्राचीं सरस्वतीं प्राप्य योन्यत्तीर्थं हि मार्गते
Attaining the eastern Sarasvatī accomplishes all four aims of life; whoever, after reaching it, seeks another tīrtha—
स करस्थं समुत्सृज्य ह्यमृतं विषमिच्छति। ज्येष्ठे ज्येष्ठा प्रयागस्य मध्यमे मध्यमा स्मृता
He abandons nectar held in his hand and desires poison instead; among the tīrthas, the eastern is called the best, the middle one is middling.
प्रदक्षिणं ततो गच्छेत्कनीयांसं विचक्षणः। त्रिष्वप्येतेषु स्नायीत कुर्याच्चापि प्रदक्षिणम्
Then, the wise should walk around it to the right, keeping the smaller one to his right; in all three, one should bathe and also perform circumambulation.
प्रयच्छति पितृभ्यो यस्तोयं तेषां तिलान्वितम्। तेपि तुष्टाः पुनस्तस्य प्रयच्छंत्यमितं फलम्
He who offers water mixed with sesame seeds to the ancestors, when they are pleased, again grant him boundless reward.