धर्मश्चतुष्पदो नित्यं यस्मिन्राज्ञि प्रशासति
Righteousness stands firmly on four legs wherever such a king rules.
बहुसस्यफला पृथ्वी गावश्च बहुदुग्धदाः
The earth yields abundant crops, and cows give plentiful milk.
वैश्या धनपरा नित्यं शूद्राः शुश्रूषणे रताः 5.1.57.
The Vaiśyas are always devoted to wealth, and the Śūdras are engaged in service.
श्रुतिस्मृतिपरो धर्मो हृष्टपुष्टजनाकरः
Dharma, grounded in the Vedas and tradition, brings forth a joyful and nourished people.
दुःशीला दुर्भगा नारी विधवा नैव लक्ष्यते
A woman of bad conduct, misfortune, or widowhood is never seen.
रूपशीलगुणोपेता पतिव्रतपरायणा
Women are endowed with beauty, virtue, and qualities, devoted to fidelity to their husbands.
हूयतां भुज्यतां शश्वद्दीयतां च गृहेगृहे
Offerings are made, food is enjoyed, and gifts are given continually in every household.
जनाः सर्वत्र दृश्यंते सर्वधर्म परायणाः
People are seen everywhere, devoted to all forms of righteousness.
एवं राजा स धर्मात्मा युगादिदेवसंज्ञितः
Thus, that king, whose soul is righteous, is called the deity at the beginning of the age.
अवंत्यां च पुरा व्यास यज्ञकोटिं समाचरत्
In ancient times, Vyāsa performed a multitude of sacrifices in Avanti.
तेन सर्वं वशं नीतं चरा चरमिदंजगत्
By him, everything—moving and unmoving in this world—was brought under control.
नैव देवा न यज्ञाश्च वेदमार्गविवर्जिताः
Neither the gods nor the sacrifices exist without the path of the Vedas.
उत्सन्नो धर्ममार्गोऽयं शाश्वतो वै दुरात्मना 5.1.57.
This eternal path of righteousness has been destroyed by the wicked.
ब्रह्माणं शरणं जग्मुः पितृभिः सह साधुभिः
Together with the ancestors and the virtuous, they sought refuge in Brahmā.
इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तेषां ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः
Having heard their words, Brahmā, the grandfather of the worlds,
तत्र गत्वा समाराध्य विष्णुं देवगणैः सह
Went there and, together with the hosts of gods, worshipped Viṣṇu.
प्रचक्रुः सर्व एवैते ह्यात्मनोभ्युदयाय च
All of them acted for the advancement of their own selves.
श्रूयतां भोः सुरश्रेष्ठा भवतां श्रेय उत्तमम्
Hear, O best of gods, the highest good for you.
गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं पुण्यं पवित्रं पापनाशनम्
This is a merit greater than the most secret, pure, and destroyer of sin.
सर्वतीर्थमयं तीर्थं कोटितीर्थवरप्रदम्
It is the holy place composed of all sacred fords, bestowing the boon of ten million holy places.
दैत्यांतकारिणी दिव्या महाकाली कुलेश्वरी
The divine Mahākālī, destroyer of demons and sovereign of lineages, abides there.
यत्र गया महापुण्या फल्गुश्चैव महानदी
There is Gaya, supremely holy, and the great river Phalgu as well.
तथैवाद्यगया ख्याता त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता 5.1.57.
In the same way, this present-day Gaya is renowned and celebrated in all three worlds.
सर्वपापहरा पुण्या यत्र प्राची सरस्वती
There, the eastern Sarasvatī, holy and remover of all sins, is found.
न्यग्रोधश्चाक्षयो नित्यः पुरा प्रोक्तो महर्षिणा
There too stands the eternal, imperishable banyan tree, once spoken of by the great sage.
तत्रैव संति ताः सर्वा देवताः पितृकल्पजाः
All those deities, born in the manner of ancestors, are present there.
सर्वतीर्थमया देवा गयातीर्थमनुत्तमम्
The gods, embodying all sacred fords, are at the unsurpassed holy place of Gaya.
यत्र प्रविष्टमात्रेण पितरो निरयस्थिताः
Where, upon merely entering, ancestors dwelling in hell are liberated.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवंत्यखण्डेऽवन्तीक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये गयातीर्थमाहात्म्ये गयातीर्थप्रशंसावर्णनं नाम सप्तपञ्चा शत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the seventy-fifth chapter named 'The Praise of Gaya Tīrtha,' in the section on the greatness of Avanti Kṣetra, in the fifth book of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Mahāpurāṇa Śrī Skanda.
भगवन्भवता सर्वं विदितं विश्वमूर्तिना
O Lord, all is known to you, who are the form of the universe.