तदिदं पुष्करं ज्येष्ठं भवान्यत्र श्रमातुरः
Then this Puṣkara is supreme; here, one who is weary from exertion,
एतद्वीक्ष्य नरो ह्यत्र स्नानं कुर्याज्जलाशये
Seeing this, a man should bathe here in the reservoir of water.
उच्छिष्टेन त्वया राजन्हरणाय हि केवलम्
With the remnants, O King, you must do this solely for the sake of removal.
बृहद्बल उवाच कथं मे स्यान्मुनिश्रेष्ठ कुष्ठव्याधिपरिक्षयः ६.४५.
Bṛhadbala said: O best of sages, how may I be freed from the affliction of leprosy?
ततः प्राप्स्यसि संसिद्धिं कुष्ठनाशसमुद्भवाम्
Then you will attain perfection, arising from the destruction of leprosy.
तच्छ्रुत्वा स मुनेर्वाक्यं भूमिपालो बृहद्बलः
Hearing these words of the sage, King Bṛhadbala,
अर्चयामास विधिवत्पुष्पधूपानुलेपनैः
Worshipped according to rule with flowers, incense, and ointments.
उपवासपरो भूत्वा रक्तचन्दनसंयुतैः
Becoming devoted to fasting, with red sandalwood,
ततः संवत्सरस्यांते स बभूव महीपतिः
Then, at the end of the year, that king became
ततः स्वं राज्यमासाद्य भुक्त्वा भोगाननेकशः
Then, having regained his kingdom, he enjoyed many pleasures.
सूत उवाच एवं तत्र द्विजश्रेष्ठा विश्वामित्रेण धीमता
Sūta said: In this way, O best of twice-born, by the wise Viśvāmitra,
यस्तत्र कार्तिके मासे कार्त्तिक्यां कृत्तिकासु च
Whoever, in the month of Kārtika, on the Kārttikī day and among the Kṛttikās,
तथा यो भास्करं पश्येद्बृहद्वलप्रतिष्ठितम् स मुच्यते नरो रोगैर्यदि स्याद्रोगसंयुतः
And whoever sees the Sun established as by Bṛhadbala—if a man is afflicted with disease, he is freed from diseases.
नीरोगो वा नरः सद्यो लभते मनसेप्सितम् ६.४५.
Or, if he is free from disease, he immediately obtains what his mind desires.
कार्त्तिक्यां कृत्तिकायोगे वृषोत्सर्गं करोति यः
Whoever, at the conjunction of Kṛttikā on Kārttikī, performs the release of a bull,
एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्रा यद्येकोपि गयां व्रजेत्
Many sons are to be desired; even if only one goes to Gayā.
एकतः सर्वतीर्थानि सर्वदानानि चैकतः
On one side are all the sacred waters, and on the other, all the gifts.
यश्चैतच्छुणुयान्नित्यं पठेद्वा श्रद्धयान्वितः
Whoever listens to this daily, or recites it with faith,
तानि कीर्तय सर्वाणि परं कौतूहलं हि नः
Tell us of them all, for we have the utmost curiosity.
यत्र स्नातोऽतिमूकोऽपि भवेद्वाक्यविचक्षणः
Where even one who is mute, after bathing, becomes skilled in speech,
लभते चेप्सितान्कामान्मानुषान्दैविकानपि
And obtains the desired wishes, both human and divine.
पुरासीत्पार्थिवो ना्ना विख्यातो बलवर्धनः
Long ago there was a king, renowned as Balavardhana.
तस्य पुत्रः समुत्पन्नः सर्वलक्षणसंयुतः अम्बुवीचिरिति स्पष्टं समाहूय द्विजोत्तमान्
A son was born to him, possessing all marks of excellence, clearly named Ambuvīci, after summoning the foremost twice-born.
ततः स ववृधे बालो लालितस्तेन भूभुजा
Then that child grew up, cherished by the king.
ततोऽस्य सप्तमे वर्षे संप्राप्ते बलवर्धनः
When his seventh year arrived, Balavardhana—
ततो मूकोऽपि बालोपि मंत्रिभिस्तस्य भूपतेः
Then, though the boy was mute, the ministers of that king—
एवं तस्य महीपस्य राज्यस्थस्य जडात्मनः
Thus, while that dull-minded king remained on the throne,
ततो जलचरन्यायः संप्रवृत्तो महीतले ६.४६.
Then the law of the water-dwellers prevailed upon the earth.
ततस्ते मंत्रिणः प्रोचुर्वसिष्ठं स्वपुरोहितम्
Then the ministers addressed Vasiṣṭha, their family priest:
पश्य कृत्स्नं धरापृष्ठे शून्यतां समुपस्थितम्
Behold the utter emptiness that has come upon the face of the earth.