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.
रथमार्गमिवारोढुं रवेस्तच्छिखरं स्थितम्। वृत्तैस्सपुलकैस्स्निग्धैः स्त्रीणामिव पयोधरैः
That peak seemed to be positioned as if to ascend the chariot path of the sun, rounded and smooth, with soft, raised forms like the breasts of women.
श्रीफलैः शिखरं भाति समन्तात्सुमनोहरैः। गुंजद्भिः षट्पदकुलैः समंतादुपशोभितम्
The peak shone all around with splendid śrī fruits, and was beautifully enhanced everywhere by swarms of humming bees.
कोकिलारावरुचिरं शिखि केका रवाकुलम्। शृंगे मनोहरे तस्मिन्नुद्गतासु मनोरमा
The summit was charming, filled with the delightful calls of cuckoos and the cries of peacocks, and lovely birds had risen up upon it.
पुण्यापुण्यजलोपेता नदीयं ब्रह्मणस्सुता। वंशस्तंबात्सुविपुला प्रवृत्ता चोत्तरामुखी
The river, daughter of Brahma, filled with waters both pure and impure, began from a broad bamboo cluster and flowed northward.
गत्वा ततो नातिदूरात्पुनर्याति पराङ्मुखी। ततः प्रभृति सा देवी प्रसन्ना प्रकटास्थिता
Then, after not going very far, she turned back to flow southward; from that point onward, the goddess remained manifest and serene.
अन्तर्धानं परित्यज्य प्राणिनामनुकम्पया। कनका सुप्रभा चैव नन्दा प्राची सरस्वती
Abandoning concealment out of compassion for living beings, Kanaka, Suprabhā, Nandā, Prācī, and Sarasvatī appeared.
पंचस्रोताः पुष्करेषु ब्रह्मणा परिभाषिता। तस्यास्तीरे सुरम्याणि तीर्थान्यायतनानि च
At Puṣkara, Brahma declared her to have five streams; on her banks are delightful tīrthas and sacred shrines.
संसेवितानि मुनिभिः सिद्धैश्चापि समंततः। तेषु सर्वेषु भविता धर्महेतुः सरस्वती
These are frequented everywhere by sages and accomplished beings; among them all, Sarasvatī will be the cause of righteousness.
हाटकक्षितिगौरीणां तत्तीर्थेषु महोदयम्। दानं दत्तं नरैः स्नातैर्जनयत्यक्षयं फलम्
At those tīrthas of golden-earth goddesses, the gift given by those who have bathed brings inexhaustible reward.
धान्यप्रदानं प्रवरं वदंति तिलप्रदानं च तथा मुनींद्राः । यैस्तेषु तीर्थेषु नरैः प्रदत्तं तद्धर्महेतु प्रवरं प्रदिष्टम्
The great sages say that giving grain and sesame there is supreme; whatever is given by people at those tīrthas is established as the highest cause of righteousness.