सामान्यां दक्षिणां लब्ध्वा एक एव निगूहति। नास्तिकीभावनिरतः स वै प्रेतोभिजायते
He who, having received common gifts, keeps them secretly for himself, or who is devoted to atheistic thinking, indeed becomes a preta.
एवं ब्रुवाणे विप्रेन्द्र आकाशे दुंदुभिस्वनः। पुष्पवृष्टिः पपातोर्व्यां देवैर्मुक्ता सहस्रशः
As the chief of Brahmins spoke thus, a drum sounded in the sky, and a rain of flowers fell upon the earth, released by the gods in thousands.
प्रेतानां तु विमानानि आगतानि समंततः। अस्य विप्रस्य संभाषात्पुण्यसंकीर्तनेन च
The vimanas of the pretas arrived everywhere, due to the discourse of this Brahmin and the praise of virtue.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन सतां संभाषणं कुरु। यदि ते श्रेयसा कार्यं गंगासुत अतंद्रितः
Therefore, with all effort, converse with the virtuous, O son of Ganga, if you desire the highest good, without fatigue.
तिलकं सर्वधर्मस्य पञ्चप्रेतकथामिमाम्। पठेल्लक्षं योऽस्य कुले न प्रेतो जायते नरः
Whoever recites this account of the five pretas, the essence of all dharma, one hundred thousand times in his family, does not become a preta.
शृणोति वाप्यभीक्ष्णं वा श्रद्धया परयान्वितः। भक्त्या समन्वितो वापि न प्रेतो जायते नरः
Or whoever hears it repeatedly, with utmost faith or devotion, does not become a preta.
भीष्म उवाच। अंतरिक्षे किमर्थं तु पुष्करं परिकीर्त्यते। मुनिभिर्धर्मशीलैश्च लभ्यते तत्कथं त्विह
Bhishma said: For what reason is Pushkara praised in the sky? How is it attained here by sages devoted to dharma?
येन तल्लभ्यते लब्धं लब्धं चैव फलप्रदम्। तन्मे सर्वं समाचक्ष्व कौतुकादेव पृच्छतः
By what means is it attained, and once attained, how does it yield fruit? Tell me all this, for I ask out of curiosity.
पुलस्त्य उवाच। ऋषिकोटिस्समायाता दक्षिणापथवासिनी। स्नानार्थं पुष्करे राजन्पुष्करं च वियद्गतम्
Pulastya said: A multitude of sages from the southern region came to Pushkara for bathing, O king, and Pushkara is situated in the sky.
मत्वाते मुनयः सर्वे प्राणायामपरायणाः। ध्यायमानाः परं ब्रह्म स्थिता द्वादशवत्सरान्
Thinking thus, all the sages, devoted to pranayama, meditated on the supreme Brahman, remaining for twelve years.
ब्रह्मा महर्षयस्तत्र देवास्सेन्द्रास्समागताः। ऋषयोंतर्हिताः प्रोचुर्नियमांस्ते सुदुष्करान्
There, Brahma, the great sages, the gods, and Indra assembled; the hidden sages spoke of disciplines that are exceedingly difficult.
आकारणं पुष्करस्य मंत्रेण क्रियतां द्विजाः। आपोहिष्ठेति तिसृभिर्ऋग्भिः सांनिध्यमेष्यति
Let the form of Pushkara be established by mantra, O twice-born; by reciting the three Rig verses 'āpohiṣṭha', its presence will be attained.
अघमर्षणजप्येन भवेद्वै फलदायकम्। विप्रैर्वाक्यावसाने तु सर्वैस्तैस्तु तथा कृतम्
By chanting the Aghamarṣaṇa, it becomes fruitful; at the conclusion of the Brahmins' words, all performed accordingly.
कृतेन पुण्यतां प्राप्ता ये निदेशाच्च ते द्विजाः। गर्हिता धर्मशास्त्रेषु ते विप्रा दक्षिणोत्तराः
Those Brahmins who attained merit by following the instructions, yet those southern Brahmins are condemned in the scriptures of dharma.
ये चान्ये पार्वतीयाश्च श्राद्धेनार्हंति केतनम्। एतस्मात्कारणाद्राजन्वियत्येवं समास्थितम्
And others from Parvati's region who honor the altar with śrāddha—because of this, O king, the separation has thus been established.
कार्तिक्यां पुष्करं स्नानात्पूततामभियच्छति। ब्रह्मणा सहितं राजन्सर्वेषां पुण्यदायकम्
During Kartika, bathing at Pushkara bestows purity; together with Brahma, O king, it grants merit to all.
तत्रागतास्तु ये वर्णाः सर्वे ते पुण्यभाजनाः। द्विजैस्तुल्या न संदेहो विना मंत्रेण ते नृप
All castes who arrive there become recipients of merit; there is no doubt they are equal to Brahmins, except without the mantra, O king.
आग्नेयं तु यदा ऋक्षं कार्तिक्यां भवति क्वचित्। महती सा तिथिर्ज्ञेया स्नाने दाने तथोत्तमा
Whenever the Agneya constellation occurs during Kartika, that date is considered great; it is excellent for bathing and giving.
यदा याम्यं तु भवति ऋक्षं तस्यां तिथौ क्वचित्। तिथिः सापि महापुण्या यतिभिः परिकीर्तिता
Whenever the Yamya constellation occurs on that date, that date too is highly meritorious, praised by ascetics.
प्राजापत्यं यदा ऋक्षं तिथौ तस्यां नराधिप। सा महाकार्तिकी प्रोक्ता देवानामपि दुर्लभा
Whenever the Prajapatya constellation occurs on that date, O ruler of men, it is called the great Kartika, rare even for the gods.
यदा चार्के गुरौ सोमे वारेष्वेतेषु वै त्रिषु। त्रीण्येतानि च ऋक्षाणि स्वयं प्रोक्तानि ब्रह्मणा
Whenever the Sun, Jupiter, or Moon is present on any of these three days, these three constellations are declared by Brahma himself.
अत्राश्वमेधिकं पुण्यं स्नातस्य भवति ध्रुवम्। दानमक्षयतां याति पितॄणां तर्पणं तथा
Here, the merit of an Ashvamedha accrues to one who bathes; gifts become inexhaustible, and offerings to ancestors likewise.
विशाखासु यदा भानुः कृत्तिकासु च चंद्रमाः। स योगः पुष्करो नाम पुष्करेष्वतिदुर्लभः
When the Sun is in Vishakha and the Moon in Krittika, that conjunction is called Pushkara, exceedingly rare at Pushkara.
अंतरिक्षावतीर्णे तु तीर्थे पैतामहे शुभे। स्नानं येऽत्र करिष्यंति तेषां लोका महोदयाः
When the sacred ancestral site descends from the sky, those who bathe there attain worlds of great glory.
न स्पृहांतेन्यपुण्यस्य कृतस्याप्यकृतस्य च। करिष्यंति महाराज सत्यमेतदुदाहृतम्
They will not desire other merit, whether done or undone; O great king, this is truly spoken.
तीर्थानां प्रवरं तीर्थं पृथिव्यामिह पठ्यते। नास्मात्परं पुण्यतीर्थं लोकेषु नृप पठ्यते
The foremost of all sacred places on earth is spoken of here; O king, no holier place is mentioned in the worlds.
कार्तिक्यां तु विशेषेण पुण्या पापहरा शुभा। उदुंबरवनात्तस्मादागता च सरस्वती
Especially during Kartika, it is holy, auspicious, and removes sin; from the Udumbara forest, Sarasvati has come.
तया तत्पूरितं तीर्थं पुष्करं मुनिसेवितम्। दक्षिणे शिखरं भाति पर्वतस्याविदूरतः
By her, that sacred place, Pushkara, frequented by sages, was filled; the southern peak shines, not far from the mountain.
नीलांजनचयप्रख्यं वर्णतो नीलशाद्वलम्। तया तच्छिखरं तस्य खस्थितं पुष्करं यथा
Its color resembled dark collyrium, a blue-green meadow; and by that, its peak appeared in the sky like a lotus.
प्रावृट्काले वियत्पूर्णं घनवृंदमिवोच्छ्रितम्। कदंबपुष्पगंधाढ्यं कुटजार्जुनभूषितम्
In the rainy season, it stood tall in the sky, like a mass of clouds; rich with the fragrance of kadamba flowers, adorned with kuṭaja and arjuna trees.