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.
खर्जूरवनमासाद्य फलपुष्पोपशोभितं। तत्रोषित्वा पुनर्देवी वने मुनिमनोरमे
Arriving at a palm grove adorned with fruits and flowers, after staying there, the goddess again entered a forest delightful to sages.
सर्वर्तुकुसुमाकीर्णे सिद्धचारणसेविते। नंदा नाम सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुता२५० 1.18.
Filled with flowers of all seasons, served by siddhas and celestial beings, Nandā is the name of the best river, famed in the three worlds.
मीननक्रझषोपेता विमलोदकपूरिता। सूत उवाच। अथ देवव्रतःप्राह किमन्या सा सरिद्वरा
Abounding with fish, crocodiles, and aquatic creatures, filled with pure water; Sūta said: Then Devavrata asked, 'What other is that excellent river?'
एतन्मे कौतुकं ब्रह्मन्नंदा शब्दा सरस्वती। यथाभूता येन कृता कारणेन सरिद्वरा
This is my curiosity, O Brahman, about Nandā, called Sarasvatī; how did she come to be, and for what reason is she the best of rivers?
एवमुक्ते पुलस्त्यः स भीष्मायैतत्पुरातनं। आख्यातुमुपचक्राम नंदा नाम यतस्स्मृतं
When this was spoken, Pulastya began to recount to Bhīṣma that ancient story, how Nandā came to be so named.
क्षत्रव्रतधरो नित्यमासीद्राजा प्रभंजनः। प्रवृत्तोसौ मृगान्हंतुं वने तस्मिन्महाबलः
There was a king named Prabhaṃjana, always devoted to the warrior's vow; he was mighty and engaged in hunting animals in that forest.
स ददर्श ततस्तस्मिन्मृगीं गुल्मांतरे स्थितां। मार्गणेन सुतीक्ष्णेन तां विव्याध पुरोगतां
Then he saw a doe standing within a thicket, and struck her, who was moving ahead, with a very sharp arrow.
सा विलोक्य दिशः सर्वास्तं दृष्ट्वा शरपाणिनं। आह किं ते कृतं मूढ त्वयैतत्कर्मदुष्करं
She looked in all directions, saw him holding the arrow, and said: 'What have you done, fool? This deed is most difficult.'
स्तनं तावत्प्रयच्छामि सुतस्याधोमुखी स्थिता। मांसलोभेन विद्धाहं तरसा ह्यकुतोभया
I was only offering my breast, lowered, to my child; struck swiftly by you, fearless one, out of greed for flesh.
पिबंतं गुप्तवत्सं च गूढमैथुनमागतं। एवंविधं मृगं राजन्न हन्यात्प्राङ्मया श्रुतं
A king should not kill such a deer—one nursing her hidden fawn, or one engaged in secret mating—so I have heard before.