हरभक्तस्य लोकस्य त्रिलोक्यां नास्ति दुर्लभम् १२.
For a devotee of Hara, nothing is unattainable in the three worlds.
लयः सदाशिवे नित्यमतर्यो गोऽयमुच्यते १२.
Union with Sadāśiva is always said to be the highest goal.
पंचभिश्चार्चनं भूतैर्विशिष्टफलदं ध्रुवम् १२.
Worship with the five elements certainly yields superior results.
ईशानमाराध्य जपन्प्रणवं मुक्तिपाप्नुयात् १२.
By worshipping Īśāna and reciting the praṇava, one attains liberation.
पापोपहतबुद्धीनां शिवे वार्तापि दुर्लभा १२.
For those whose intellect is afflicted by sin, even talk of Śiva is hard to obtain.
दुर्लभं जाह्नवीस्नानं शिवे भक्तिः सुदुर्लभा १२.
Bathing in the Gaṅgā is rare, and devotion to Śiva is exceedingly rare.
अल्पपुण्यैश्च दुष्प्रापं पुरुषोत्तमपूजनम्॥ १२.
Worship of the Supreme Person is difficult to attain for those with little merit.
लक्षेण धनुषां योगस्तदर्धेन हुताशनः १२.
Union with the bow is achieved by a hundred thousand, and with fire by half that.
इति दमुक्तमखिलं मया तव महीपते १२.
Thus, O king, I have told you everything.
न दुर्लभं न दुष्प्रापं न चासाध्यं महात्मनाम् १२.
For the great-souled, nothing is unattainable, nothing is difficult to obtain, and nothing is impossible.
नंदीश्वरस्य तेनैव वपुषा शिवपूजनात् १२.
By that very form of Nandīśvara, through the worship of Śiva—
श्वेतस्य च महीपस्य श्रीकंठं च नमस्यतः १२.
And by the king Śveta, bowing to Śrīkaṇṭha—
यदिच्छया विश्वमिदं जायते व्यवतिष्ठते १२.
By his will, this entire universe is born and sustained.
एतद्रहस्यमिदमेव नृणां प्रधानं कर्तव्यमत्र शिवपूजनमेव भूप १२.
This, indeed, is the secret; for people, the foremost duty here is truly the worship of Śiva, O king.
इति तस्य मुनींद्रस्य भूपतिः शुश्रुवान्वचः १३.
Thus the king listened to the words of that foremost sage.
लिंगमाराधयिष्येऽद्य सर्वसिद्धिप्रदं नृणाम् १३.
Today I shall worship the liṅga, which grants all accomplishments to people.
तद्भूपतिवचः श्रुत्वा बको गृध्रोऽथ कच्छपः १३.
Hearing the king’s words, Baka, the vulture, and the tortoise—
स च सर्वसुहृद्विप्रस्तथेत्येवाह तांस्तदा १३.
And that best of friends, the brāhmaṇa, also said to her, 'So be it,' at that time.
शिवदीक्षाविधानेन लिंगपूजां समादिशत् तीर्थादप्यधिकं स्थाने सतां साधुसमागमः॥ १३.
By the rite of Śiva-initiation, he instructed the worship of the liṅga; the company of the virtuous is superior even to a holy place.
पचेलिमफलः सद्यो दुरंतकलुपापहः १३.
Its fruit is immediate, removing even terrible and difficult sins.
य एकांततयात्यंतमंतर्गततमोपहः १३.
He who is wholly devoted, utterly removes the darkness within.
सर्वे वराः सुधाकाराः शर्करामधुषड्रसाः १३.
All the best offerings—like nectar, sugar, honey, and six kinds of sweet juices—
आरेभिरे क्रियायोगं मार्कंडनृपपूर्वकाः तीर्थयात्रानुषंगेन लोमशालोकनोत्सुकः॥ १३.
Led by Mārkaṇḍa and the king, they began the ritual practice, eager to see Lomaśa, in the course of their pilgrimage.
मुख्या पुरुषयात्रा हि तीर्थयात्रानुषंगतः १३.
The chief journey of a person is indeed that which is accompanied by pilgrimage.
कृतार्हणातिथ्यविधिं विश्रांतं मां च फाल्गुन १३.
Having performed the proper rites of hospitality, I, too, rested, O Phālguna.
शापभ्रष्टा वयं ब्रह्मंश्चत्वारोऽपि स्वकर्मणा १३.
We four, O brāhmaṇa, have fallen from grace by a curse, each by our own actions.
इयं हि निष्फला भूमिः शपलं भारतं मुने॥ १३.
This land is indeed fruitless; O sage, Bhārata is fickle.
तत्रापि क्वचिदेकत्र सर्वतीर्थफलं वद १३.
Even there, in some one place, tell me where the fruit of all holy places is found.
संवर्तं परिपृच्छध्वं स वो वक्ष्यति तत्त्वतः १३.
Ask Saṃvarta; he will tell you the truth.
कुत्रासौ विद्यते योगी नाज्ञासिष्म वयं च तम् १३.
Where is that yogi? We did not know him.