ब्राह्मणैर्वेदविद्वद्भिः कथं यात्रा त्रिपुष्करे। कर्तव्या यत्फलं तस्या जायते तद्वदस्व मे
How should the pilgrimage at Tripushkara be performed by Brahmins learned in the Vedas? Tell me what fruit arises from that.
पुलस्त्य उवाच। प्रश्नभारो महानेष भवता परिकल्पितः। तदेकाग्रमना भूत्वा शृणु तीर्थ महाफलं
Pulastya said: You have posed a great and weighty question. Therefore, focus your mind and listen to the great fruits of the holy places.
यस्य हस्तौ च पादौ च मनश्चैव सुसंयतं। विद्यातपश्च कीर्तिश्च स तीर्थफलमश्नुते
One whose hands, feet, and mind are well-controlled, who possesses knowledge, austerity, and fame—such a person attains the fruit of pilgrimage.
प्रतिग्रहादुपावृत्तः संतुष्टो येनकेन चित्। अहंकारनिवृत्तश्च स तीर्थफलमश्नुते
One who refrains from accepting gifts, is content with whatever comes, and is free from pride—such a person attains the fruit of pilgrimage.
अक्रोधनश्च राजेंद्र सत्यशीलो दृढव्रतः। आत्मोपमश्च भूतेषु स तीर्थफलमश्नुते
O king, one who is free from anger, truthful in conduct, firm in vows, and regards all beings as oneself—such a person attains the fruit of pilgrimage.
ऋषीणां परमं गुह्यमिदं भरतसत्तम। पूर्वं यत्र महाराज सत्रे पैतामहे तथा
O best of the Bharatas, this is the supreme secret of the sages—where, in ancient times, O great king, at the ancestral sacrifice—
यतीनामुग्रतपसां येषां कोटिः समागता। मुखदर्शनमाश्रित्य स्थितास्ते ज्येष्ठपुष्करे
A multitude of ascetics, fierce in their austerities, numbering in the crores, gathered and, relying on the sight of the face, remained at the chief Pushkara.
सुरूपतां परां लब्ध्वा प्रीतास्ते मुनिसत्तमाः। हर्षेण महताविष्टा ब्रह्मदर्शनकांक्षिणः
Having attained supreme beauty, those foremost sages became delighted, filled with great joy, longing for a vision of Brahma.
यज्ञोपवीतैस्ते भूमिं माप्य सर्वे चतुर्द्दिशं। कृत्वा तीर्थं विभागं च स्थिता भक्तिपरायणाः
With sacred threads, they measured the earth in all four directions, established the divisions of the holy places, and remained devoted to worship.
आसन्नश्च ततस्तेषां तदा तुष्टः पितामहः। कोटिं कृत्वा तदा तेषां मानं दृष्ट्वा मनीषिणां
Then, as they stood nearby, the Grandsire was pleased with them; seeing the multitude of those wise ones, he honored them.
अद्यप्रभृति युष्माकं धर्मवृद्धिर्भविष्यति। इहागत्य नरो यो वै यदंगं प्रथमं जले
From today onward, your righteousness will increase; whoever comes here and first enters the water with any limb,
प्लावविष्यति रूपार्थं रूपिता तीर्थकारिता। भविष्यति न संदेहो योजनायतमंडले
will float for the sake of form, and having made the pilgrimage, there is no doubt he will be shaped by the sacred site, within the circle measuring a yojana.
अर्धयोजनविस्तारं दीर्घं सार्धं हि योजनम्। एतत्प्रमाणं तीर्थस्य ऋषिकोटिप्रवर्त्तितम्
Its breadth is half a yojana, and its length is one and a half yojanas; this is the measure of the sacred site, established by the multitude of sages.
गमनादेव राजेंद्र पुष्करस्य त्वरिंदम। राजसूयाश्वमेधाभ्यां फलमाप्नोति मानवः
O king, merely by going to Pushkara, the subduer of enemies, a man attains the fruit of the Rajasuya and Ashvamedha sacrifices.
सरस्वती महापुण्या प्रविष्टा ज्येष्ठपुष्करे। तत्रब्रह्मादयो देवा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः
The great and holy Sarasvati has entered the chief Pushkara; there, Brahma and the other gods, sages, siddhas, and charanas,
अभिगच्छंति राजेंद्र चैत्रशुक्ल चतुर्दशीं। तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत पितृदेवार्चने रतः
O king, assemble on the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight of Chaitra; there, one should perform ablution, devoted to honoring ancestors and gods.
गोमेधं च तदाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत्। एवं तीर्थविभागस्तु कृतस्तैस्तु महर्षिभिः
He attains the fruit of the cow sacrifice and uplifts his lineage; thus, the division of the sacred site was made by those great sages.
पितॄन्देवांश्च सन्तर्प्य विष्णुलोके महीयते। तत्र स्नात्वा भवेन्मर्त्यो विमलश्चन्द्रमा यथा
Having satisfied the ancestors and gods, he is honored in the realm of Vishnu; bathing there, a mortal becomes pure like the moon.
ब्रह्मलोकमवाप्नोति गतिं च परमां व्रजेत्। नृलोके देवदेवस्य तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम्
He attains Brahma's world and reaches the highest path; among men, the sacred site of the god of gods is renowned throughout the three worlds.
पुष्करं नाम विख्यातं महापातकनाशनम्। दशकोटिसहस्राणि तीर्थानां वै महीपते
Pushkara, famed by name, destroys great sins; O king, among ten billion sacred sites,
सान्निध्यं पुष्करे येषां त्रिसन्ध्यं कुलनन्दन। आदित्या वसवो रुद्रास्साध्याश्च स मरुद्गणाः
whose presence is at Pushkara at the three junctions of the day, O delight of the lineage, are the Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Sadhyas, and the hosts of Maruts.
गन्धर्वाप्सरसश्चैव नित्यं सन्निहिता विभोः। यत्र देवास्तपस्तप्त्वा दैत्या ब्रह्मर्षयस्तथा
Gandharvas and Apsaras too are always present for the Lord; where the gods, having performed austerities, as well as the demons and Brahma sages,
दिव्य योगा महाराज पुण्येन महतान्विताः। मनसाप्यभिकामस्य पुष्कराणि मनस्विनः
with divine yoga, O king, endowed with great merit; even those who desire Pushkaras in mind, the wise,
पूयन्ते सर्वपापानि नाकपृष्ठे स मोदते। तस्मिंस्तीर्थे महाराज नित्यमेव पितामहः
are purified of all sins and rejoice in heaven; at that sacred site, O king, the ancestor always,
उवास परमप्रीतो देवदानवसम्मतः। पुष्करेषु महाराज देवास्सर्षिपुरोगमाः
dwelt supremely pleased, honored by gods and demons; at Pushkaras, O king, the gods led by sages,
सिद्धिं च समनुप्राप्ताः पुण्येन महतान्विताः। तत्राभिषेकं यः कुर्यात्पितृदेवार्चने रतः
attained perfection, endowed with great merit; whoever performs ablution there, devoted to honoring ancestors and gods,
अश्वमेधाद्दशगुणं प्रवदंति मनीषिणः। अप्येकं भोजयेद्विप्रं पुष्करारण्यमाश्रितः
the wise say he gains ten times the fruit of the Ashvamedha; even if he feeds a single Brahmin, dwelling in the Pushkara forest,
अन्नेन तेन संप्रीता कोटिर्भवति पूजिता। तेनासौ कर्मणा भीष्म प्रेत्य चेह च मोदते
with food, a crore are satisfied and honored; by that act, O Bhishma, he enjoys happiness here and after death.
शाकैर्मूलैः फलैर्वापि येन वा वर्त्तयेत्स्वयम्। तद्वै दद्याद्ब्राह्मणाय श्रद्धावाननसूयकः
Whatever one uses for sustenance—be it vegetables, roots, or fruits—should be given to a Brahmin, with faith and without envy.
तेनैव प्राप्नुयात्प्राज्ञो हयमेधफलं नरः। ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वैश्यः शूद्रो वा राजसत्तम
By this very act, a wise person attains the fruit of a horse sacrifice, whether he is a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, or Shudra, O best of kings.