निष्कामा स्वर्गमाप्नोति दुष्प्राप्यं त्रिदशैरपि
Without desire, she attains heaven, which even the gods find hard to reach.
यं दृष्ट्वा मानवः सम्यक्कृतार्थत्वमवाप्नुयात्
By seeing whom, a man truly attains fulfillment of purpose.
तत्रास्ति जलसम्पूर्णं कुण्डं पापहरं नृणाम्
There is a pond there, filled with water, which removes the sins of people.
गोमती च समानीता तपसा नृपसत्तम
And the Gomati river has been brought there through austerity, O best of kings.
ऋषिधान्येन यस्तत्र श्राद्धं नृप समाचरेत्
Whoever performs the śrāddha there with the grains of the sages, O king—
अत्र गाथा पुरा गीता नारदेन महात्म ना
Here, a verse was formerly sung by the great-souled Nārada.
किं गयाश्राद्धदानेन किमन्यैर्मखविस्तरैः स पितॄंस्तारयेत्सर्वानात्मना नृपसत्तम
What need is there for giving śrāddha at Gayā, or for other elaborate sacrifices? He rescues all his ancestors entirely, O best of kings.
तत्रैवारुंधती साध्वी वसिष्ठस्य समीपतः
There, the virtuous Arundhatī is present near Vasiṣṭha.
बाल्ये वयसि यत्पापं वार्द्धके यौवनेऽपि वा
Whatever sin was committed in childhood, old age, or even youth—
दीपं प्रयच्छते यस्तु वसिष्ठाग्रे समाहितः
Whoever, with focused mind, offers a lamp before Vasiṣṭha—
उपवासपरो यस्तु तत्रैका रजनीं नयेत् 7.3.6.
Whoever, intent on fasting, spends a single night there—
त्रिरात्रिं कुरुते यस्तु वसिष्ठाग्रे समाहितः
Whoever, with focused mind, observes a three-night vow before Vasiṣṭha—
यस्तु मासोपवासं च वसिष्ठाग्रे करोति च
Whoever undertakes a month-long fast before Vasiṣṭha—
श्रावणस्य सिते पक्षे पौर्णमास्यां समाहितः
Whoever, with focused mind, on the full moon of the bright fortnight of Śrāvaṇa—
वसिष्ठस्याग्रतो यस्तु गायत्र्यष्टशतं जपेत्
Whoever recites the Gāyatrī mantra eight hundred times before Vasiṣṭha—
वामदेवं यजेत्तत्र यदि श्रद्धासमन्वितः
Whoever, endowed with faith, performs the Vāmadeva sacrifice there—
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन द्रष्टव्योऽसौ महामुनिः
Therefore, by every effort, that great sage should be seen.
तस्मात्सर्वात्मना राजन्वामदेवं च पूजयेत्
Therefore, O king, Vāmadeva should be worshipped with one's whole being.
पुलस्त्य उवाच ततो गच्छेन्नृपश्रेष्ठ सुपुण्यमचलेश्वरम्
Pulastya said: Then, O best of kings, one should go to the supremely holy Acaleśvara.
तत्र कृष्णचतुर्दश्यां यः श्राद्धं कुरुते नरः
There, whoever performs śrāddha on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight—
यस्तु पूजयते भक्त्या दक्षिणां दिशमास्थितः
But whoever worships, with devotion, while standing in the southern direction—
पंचामृतेन यस्तत्र तर्पणं कुरु ते नरः
—and there, offers libation with the five nectars, that person—
प्रदक्षिणांते यस्तस्य प्रणामं कुरुते नरः
—and at the end of the circumambulation, bows down to it—
तत्राश्चर्यमभूत्पूर्वं तत्त्वं शृणु महामते
There was once a wondrous event there; listen to that truth, O wise one.
तत्र पूर्वं शुको नीडं वृक्षे चैवाकरोद्द्विजः
There, long ago, a parrot made its nest in a tree, O twice-born one.
न च भक्त्या महाराज पक्षियोनिसमुद्भवः
But, O great king, not by devotion did he arise from the womb of birds.
संजातः पार्थिवे वंशे राजा वेणुरिति स्मृतः
He was born in the earthly royal line, and is remembered as King Vena.
स तं स्मृत्वा प्रभावं हि प्रदक्षिणासमुद्भवम् 7.3.7.
Remembering that power, indeed, which arose from circumambulation—
नक्तं दिनं महाराज नान्यत्किंचित्करोति सः
Day and night, O great king, he does nothing else.
न पुष्पे धूपदाने च प्रदक्षिणापरः सदा
Not with flowers or offering incense, but always with circumambulation.