ब्रह्मज्ञानं वदत्येकः श्रुत्वा ज्ञानवि शारदः
One person speaks of the knowledge of Brahman, having heard it, wise in knowledge and eloquence.
गयाश्राद्धं करोत्येकः पितृपक्षे नृपोत्तम
One person performs the ancestral rite at Gaya during the fortnight for ancestors, O best of kings.
चांद्रायणसहस्रं च करोत्येकः समाहितः
One person, with concentrated mind, performs a thousand Cāndrāyaṇa vows.
व्रतं तपः सहस्राब्दमेकः सम्यक्चरेन्नरः
One man perfectly observes a vow and austerity for a thousand years.
एकस्तु चतुरो वेदान्सम्यक्पठति ब्राह्मणः
One Brahmin thoroughly recites the four Vedas.
बहुना किमिहोक्तेन शृणु संक्षेपतो नृप
Why say much here? Listen in brief, O king.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन स्थातव्यं हरिसंनिधौ
Therefore, with all effort, one should remain in the presence of Hari.
एकतस्तु हृषीकेश एकतः कर्णिकेश्वरः
On one side is Hṛṣīkeśa, on the other is Karṇikeśvara.
अपि कृत्वा महत्पापं गच्छंति हरिसन्निधौ
Even those who have committed great sin go to the presence of Hari.
पुष्पमेकं हृषीकेशे यश्चारोपयते नृप 7.3.13.
Whoever offers even a single flower to Hṛṣīkeśa, O king—
हृषीकेशस्य यो भक्त्या करिष्यत्यनुलेपनम्
Whoever, with devotion, will anoint Hṛṣīkeśa—
संमार्जनं च तस्याग्रे यः करोति समाहितः मोदते विष्णुलोकस्थो नात्र कार्या विचारणा
And whoever, with focused mind, sweeps before Him, rejoices in the world of Viṣṇu—there is no doubt about this.
कार्तिके शुक्लपक्षे च एकादश्यां नृपोत्तम
In the bright fortnight of Kārtika, on the eleventh day, O best of kings—
यथायथा प्रकाशेत पापं जन्मांतरार्जितम्
However much one reveals the sin accumulated over many births—
पंचामृतेन यः पूजां हृषीकेशे करिष्यति
Whoever will perform worship of Hṛṣīkeśa with the five nectars—
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन हृषीकेशं समर्चयेत्
Therefore, with all effort, one should worship Hṛṣīkeśa.
हृषीकेशे विशेषेण कर्त्तव्यं पूजनं सदा
Especially, worship should always be performed for Hṛṣīkeśa.
सिद्धिदं प्राणिनां सम्यक्सिद्धेन स्थापितं पुरा
Established long ago by the accomplished, it perfectly grants success to living beings.
तत्र विश्वावसुर्नाम सिद्धस्तेपे महातपः
There, a Siddha named Viśvāvasu performed great austerities.
जितक्रोधो जितमदो जितसर्वेंद्रियक्रियः तुतोष नृपतेस्तस्य स्वयं दर्शनमाययौ
He had conquered anger, pride, and all actions of the senses; the king was pleased with him, and personally appeared before him.
अब्रवीत्तं महादेवो वरदोस्मीति पार्थिव
The great god spoke to him, saying, 'I am the giver of boons, O king.'
दास्यामि ते प्रसन्नोऽहं यद्यपि स्यात्सुदुर्लभम्
I am pleased with you and will grant you, even if it is very difficult to obtain.
विश्वावसुरुवाच एतल्लिंगं सुरश्रेष्ठ ध्यात्वा मनसि निश्चयम्
Viśvāvasu said: 'O best of gods, by meditating with determination in the mind upon this liṅga—'
सिद्धेश्वरं ततो गत्वा सिद्धिं याति सहस्रशः
Then, by approaching Siddheśvara, one attains success thousands of times.
प्रभावात्तस्य लिंगस्य कामानिष्टानवाप्नुयुः
By the power of that liṅga, one obtains desired and undesired results.
न कश्चिद्यजते यज्ञैर्न दानानि प्रयच्छति
No one performs sacrifices, nor do they give gifts.
उच्छिन्नेषु च यज्ञेषु दानेषु नृपसत्तम 7.3.14.
When sacrifices and gifts are interrupted, O best of kings—
ज्ञात्वा यज्ञविघातं च तद्विघाताय वासवः
Knowing the obstruction of sacrifices, Indra acted to obstruct it.
तथापि संनिधौ तस्य सिद्धेशस्य नृपोत्तम
Yet, even in the presence of that Siddheśvara, O foremost of kings—
यस्तु माघचतुर्द्दश्यां सोमवारे नृपोत्तम
Whoever, on the fourteenth day of Māgha, on a Monday, O foremost of kings—