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.
यः स्नात्वा प्रयतो नित्यं ततः पश्येत्पितामहम्। अनुलोमविलोमाभ्यां तथा व्यस्तसमस्तयोः
He who, having bathed and purified himself daily, then beholds the forefathers, both in direct and reverse order, as well as separately and together.
स्नातव्यं पुष्करे नित्यं ब्रह्मलोकमभीप्सिता। त्रीणि शृंगाणि शुभ्राणि त्रीणि प्रस्रवणानि च
One should bathe daily at Puṣkara, desiring the world of Brahma; there are three pure peaks and three springs.
पुष्कराणि प्रसिद्धानि न विद्मस्तत्र कारणं। कनीयांसं मध्यमं च तृतीयं ज्येष्ठपुष्करं
The Puṣkaras are renowned, but we do not know the reason there; the smaller, the middle, and the third, the eldest Puṣkara.
शृंगशद्बाभिधानानि शुभप्रस्रवणानि च। धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां संकल्पैरफलं नरः
They are called by the names of peaks and auspicious springs; a man, with intentions for dharma, wealth, pleasure, and liberation, gains fruit without fail.
यस्तत्र संत्यजेद्देहं मोक्षं प्राप्नोत्यसंशयम्। प्रयतः संयतस्तस्यां स्नात्वा दद्याद्विजे शुभाम्
He who abandons his body there attains liberation without doubt; purified and restrained, having bathed there, he should give auspicious gifts to a Brahmin.
गामेकां मंत्रपूतां च लोकानाप्नोतिमोक्षदान्। किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन रात्रावपि हि योर्थिने
He attains worlds by giving a single cow, purified by mantra; what need is there for many words? Even at night, for one who desires it.
अर्थं प्रयच्छते स्नात्वा सोनन्तं सुखमश्नुते। तत्र दानं प्रशंसंति तिलानां मुनिसत्तमाः
He who gives wealth after bathing enjoys endless happiness; the sages praise the gift of sesame seeds there.
कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दश्यां स्नानं च विहितं सदा। पिण्याकेन गुडेनापि पिंडं योत्र प्रयच्छति
Bathing is always prescribed on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight; and he who offers a ball made of flour or even jaggery there.
पितॄणां प्रयतो भूत्वा पितृलोकं स यछति। पुष्करारण्यमासाद्य पुनस्तस्मात्सरस्वती
Having become purified for the ancestors, he attains the world of the ancestors; reaching the Puṣkara forest, then from there to Sarasvatī.
अंतर्द्धानं गता गंतुं प्रवृत्तागपश्चिमामुखी। नातिदूरे ततस्तस्य पुष्करस्य सुशोभना
Having entered concealment, she set out to go, facing west; not far from there, near that Puṣkara, is a very beautiful place.