इति श्रुत्वा तदा कृष्णो रामेण सह संयुतः
Hearing this, Kṛṣṇa, together with Rāma, was united in intent.
गुरोरागमनं कांक्षे अत्रैव स्थितिकांक्षया
They awaited the teacher's arrival there, desiring to remain.
तत उत्थाय तौ वीरौ गुरोरावंदनं ततः
Then those two heroes rose and offered their respects to the teacher.
श्रूयतां भो महायोगिन्नस्माकं वासकार णम् 5.1.62.
O great ascetic, please hear the reason for our stay here.
प्रातःकाले च ते ब्रह्मन्समयो नास्ति नौ प्रभो
O Brāhmaṇa, in the morning there is no appointed time for us, O lord.
उवाच भगवान्व्यास आत्मनो व्रतकारणम्
The venerable Vyāsa spoke of the reason for his observance.
गोमतीस्नानं कर्तव्यं प्रातःकाले सदा बुधैः
Bathing in the Gomati should always be performed in the morning by the wise.
इति निश्चित्य युष्माभिर्यद्योग्यं क्रियतां तथा
Thus, having decided, do what is proper for you accordingly.
गोमत्याराधनं चक्रे कुशस्थल्यां द्विजोत्तम
He performed the worship of the Gomati at Kuśasthalī, O best of twice-born.
कंथडेश्वरस्योत्तरे भागे गोमती सा समागता
To the north of Kaṃthaḍeśvara, the Gomati river was found.
प्रातरुत्थाय ते सर्वे गोमतीं सरितां वराम्
Rising early, they all went to the Gomati, the best of rivers.
स्नानदानादिकं सर्वमत्रैव समुपासय
There, perform all acts such as bathing and charity.
गोमत्यत्र समालीना यज्ञकुण्डे सरस्वती
There, in the Gomati, Sarasvatī was present in the sacrificial pit.
सर्वेषामपि लोकानां मार्गोऽ त्रैव च विद्यते 5.1.62.
Here indeed is found the path for all the worlds.
गोमतीकुण्डमाख्यातं सर्वपापप्रणानशनम्
The pool named Gomati is said to destroy all sins.
तत्र स्नात्वा नरो नित्यं रात्रौ जागरणं चरेत्
There, a man should bathe daily and keep vigil at night.
वैष्णवांश्च नरांश्चैव कृष्णजन्मोत्सुकान्वरान्
He should also invite Vaishnavas and men devoted to Krishna's birth.
गोब्राह्मणानां पूजाश्च क्रियते यैः समाहितैः
Those who, with focused mind, perform worship of cows and Brahmins there—
गोमतीस्नानजात्पुण्याद्वासुदेवसमागमात्
By the merit gained from bathing in the Gomati and meeting Vasudeva,
तथा चैत्रसिते पक्षे यावच्चैकादशी भवेत्
Likewise, during the bright half of Chaitra, until Ekadashi arrives,
रात्रौ जागरणं कृत्वा विष्णुपूजां तथैव च
By keeping vigil at night and worshipping Vishnu in the same way,
गोसहस्रफलं तेषां प्राप्यते नाऽत्र संशयः
They obtain the fruit of giving a thousand cows—of this there is no doubt.
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्ता विष्णुलोकं प्रयांति ते
Freed from all sins, they go to the world of Vishnu.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवंत्यखण्डेऽवन्तीक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये गोमतीतीर्थकुण्डमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम द्विषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixty-second chapter, called 'The Greatness of the Gomati Tirtha Pool,' in the section on the sacred region of Avanti, in the fifth book of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Skanda Mahapurana.
तत्र तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा दृष्ट्वा देवं महेश्वरम्
There, having bathed at the sacred place and seen the god Maheshvara,
मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यः शुचिः प्रयतमानसः
A man, pure and with concentrated mind, is freed from all sins.
भुवि पुण्यतमं तीर्थं सर्वपापहरं परम्
On earth, it is the most holy tirtha, supreme in removing all sins.
महापापहरं पुण्यं महापुण्यफलप्रदम्
It destroys great sins, is meritorious, and bestows the fruit of great merit.
विधृता शिरसि सद्यो महादेवेन शंभुना
It was instantly borne upon the head by the great god Shambhu.
गंगास्नानफलं प्राप्य विष्णु लोके महीयते
By obtaining the fruit of bathing in the Ganga, one is honored in Vishnu's world.