पैतामहं सरः पुण्यं पुष्करं नाम नामतः। वैखानसानां सिद्धानां मुनीनां पुण्यदं हि यत्
The sacred ancestral lake called Pushkara by name is renowned as the holy place that grants merit to the perfected Vaikhanasa ascetics and sages.
सरस्वती पुण्यतमा यस्माद्याता महार्णवम्। आदिदेवो महायोगी यत्रास्ते मधुसूदनः
Sarasvati is the most sacred, for she flows into the great ocean; the primordial god, the great yogi Madhusudana, resides there.
ख्यात आदिवराहेति नाम्ना त्रिदशपूजितः। हीनवर्णाश्च ये वर्णास्तीर्थे पैतामहे गताः
It is famed as Adi-Varaha by name, worshipped by the gods; and those of degraded castes who reach the ancestral holy place,
न वियोनिं व्रजंत्येते स्नात्वा तीर्थे महात्मनः। कार्तिक्यां च विशेषेण योभिगच्छेत्तु पुष्करं
Do not enter a womb again after bathing at the holy site of the great soul; especially, whoever approaches Pushkara during Kartika,
फलं तत्राक्षयं तस्य भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम। सायंप्रातः स्मरेद्यस्तु पुष्कराणि कृतांजलि
We have heard that the fruit there is imperishable; whoever remembers Pushkara in the evening and morning with folded hands,
उपस्पृष्टं भवेत्तेन सर्वतीर्थे तु कौरव। जन्मप्रभृति यत्पापं स्त्रियो वा पुरुषस्य वा
By that, O Kaurava, one becomes purified as if at all holy places; whatever sin has arisen from birth, whether of women or men,
पुष्करे स्नानमात्रेण सर्वमेतत्प्रणश्यति। यथासुराणां प्रवरः सर्वेषां तु पितामहः
All of this is destroyed merely by bathing at Pushkara; just as the grandsire is the foremost among all the Asuras,
तथैव पुष्करं तीर्थं तीर्थानामादिरुच्यते। त द्दृष्ट्वा दशवर्षाणि पुष्करे नियतः शुचिः
So too, Pushkara is regarded as the foremost among holy places; having seen it, for ten years, one remains disciplined and pure at Pushkara.
क्रतून्सर्वानवाप्नोति ब्रह्मलोकं स गच्छति। यस्तु वर्षशतं पूर्णमग्निहोत्रमुपासते
He attains all sacrifices and goes to the world of Brahma; but whoever worships the Agnihotra for a full hundred years,
कार्तिकीं वा वसेदेकां पुष्करे सममेव तु। पुष्करे दुष्करो होमः पुष्करे दुष्करं तपः
Or dwells for a single Kartika month at Pushkara, it is equally so; at Pushkara, sacrifice is difficult, at Pushkara, austerity is difficult.
पुष्करे दुष्करं दानं वासश्चैव सुदुष्करः। ब्राह्मणो वेदविद्वांस्तु गत्वा वै ज्येष्ठपुष्करं
At Pushkara, charity is difficult, and dwelling there is exceedingly hard; a Brahmin learned in the Vedas, having gone to Jyestha Pushkara,
स्नानाद्भवेन्मोक्षभागी श्राद्धेन पितृतारकः। नाममात्रोपि यो विप्रो गत्वा संध्यामुपासते
By bathing, he attains liberation; by offering ancestral rites, he uplifts his forefathers; even a Brahmin who merely goes there and worships at twilight by name,
वर्षाणि द्वादशैवेह तेन संध्या ह्युपासिता। भवेत्तु नात्र संदेहः पुरा प्रोक्तं स्वयंभुवा
If he worships at twilight here for twelve years, there is no doubt about it; this was spoken by Svayambhu in ancient times.
सावित्री कथितो दोषः कुले तस्य न जायते। या पत्नी ददते भर्तुः संध्योपास्तिं करिष्यतः
The fault of Savitri does not arise in his lineage; the wife who gives support to her husband performing twilight worship,
करकेण तु ताम्रेण तोयं मुक्ता दिवं व्रजेत्। ब्रह्मलोकमनुप्राप्य तिष्ठति ब्रह्मणो दिनं५० 1.19.
With a copper vessel, water is released and one ascends to heaven; having reached Brahma's world, one remains for a day of Brahma.
एकाकिना गतेनापि संध्या वंद्या यथाक्रमं। पौष्करेणाथ तोयेन भृंगारे निहितेन तु
Even if one goes alone, the twilight worship should be performed in due order; and with Pushkara water placed in an iron vessel.
दक्षिणां दिशमास्थाय गायत्र्या राजसत्तम। पितॄणां परमा तृप्तिः क्रियते द्वादशाब्दिकी
O best of kings, when one faces the southern direction and recites the Gāyatrī, the ancestors receive the highest satisfaction for twelve years.
युगसहस्रं पिण्डेन श्राद्धेनानन्त्यमश्नुते। एतदर्थं हि विद्वांसः कुर्वंते दारसंग्रहं
By offering a piṇḍa in the śrāddha rite, one bestows endless merit upon the ancestors, lasting for a thousand ages; for this reason, the wise undertake the gathering of a wife.
तीर्थे गत्त्वा प्रदास्यामः पिंडान्वै श्राद्धपूर्वकं। तेषां पुत्रा धनं धान्यमविच्छिन्ना च संततिः
Having gone to a sacred place, we shall offer piṇḍas with proper śrāddha rites; their sons will have unbroken wealth, grain, and lineage.
भवेद्वै नात्र संदेह एतदाह पितामहः। तर्पयित्वा पितॄन्देवानग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
There should be no doubt about this—so said the Grandfather; after satisfying the ancestors and the gods, one attains the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.
आश्रमानपि ते वच्मि शृणुष्वैकमना नृप। अगस्त्येन कृतश्चात्र आश्रमो देवसंमितः
I will also tell you about the hermitages—listen attentively, O king; here, Agastya established a hermitage, esteemed as equal to the gods.
सप्तर्षीणां पुरा चात्र आश्रमो देवसम्मतः। ब्रह्मर्षीणां तथा चात्र मनूनां परमस्तथा
Long ago, here too was the hermitage of the Seven Sages, honored by the gods, as well as the supreme hermitage of the Brahmarṣis and Manus.
नागानां च पुरी रम्या यज्ञपर्वतरोधसि। अगस्त्यस्य महाराज प्रभावममितात्मनः
There is also a delightful city of the nāgas at the foot of the sacrificial mountain, O great king, and the wondrous power of Agastya, whose soul is immeasurable.
कथयामि समासेन शृणु त्वं सुसमाहितः। पूर्वं कृतयुगे भीष्म दानवा युद्धदुर्मदाः
I will briefly recount his story—listen with full attention; formerly, in the Kṛta Yuga, O Bhīṣma, the Dānavas, intoxicated by war, arose.
कालेया इति विख्याता गणाः परमदारुणाः। ते तु वृत्रं समाश्रित्य देवान्हंतुं समुद्यताः
There were hosts known as the Kāleyas, exceedingly fierce; they, taking refuge in Vṛtra, prepared to destroy the gods.
ततो देवाः समुद्विग्ना ब्रह्माणमुपतस्थिरे। कृतांजलींस्तु तान्सर्वान्परमेष्ठीत्युवाच ह
Then the gods, greatly troubled, approached Brahmā; with hands joined in reverence, they stood before the Supreme Lord, who spoke to them.
विदितं मे सुराः सर्वं यद्वः कार्यं चिकीर्षितं। तमुपायं प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा वृत्रं वधिष्यथ
"I know all, O gods, and what you wish to accomplish; I will tell you the means by which you shall slay Vṛtra."
दधीचिरिति विख्यातो महानृषिरुदारधीः। तं गत्वा सहितास्सर्वे वरं च प्रतियाचत
"There is a great sage named Dadhīci, renowned for his noble mind; go to him together and ask him for a boon."
स वो दास्यति धर्मात्मा सुप्रीतेनांतरात्मना। स वाच्यः सहितैः सर्वैर्भवद्भिर्जयकांक्षिभिः
"That righteous soul will grant it to you with a pleased heart; he should be addressed by all of you, who desire victory."
स्वान्यस्थीनि प्रयच्छस्व त्रैलोक्यहितकांक्षया। स शरीरं समुत्सृज्य स्वान्यस्थीनि प्रदास्यति
"For the welfare of the three worlds, ask him to give his own bones; he will abandon his body and bestow his bones."