विंशतिर्योजनानां हि माथुरं मम मण्डलम् 168.
My Māthura region extends for twenty yojanas.
न मया कथितं देवि ब्रह्मणश्च महात्मनः
I have not spoken of this, O goddess, even to the great-souled Brahmā.
मया सुगोपितं पूर्वं गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं परम्
I have kept it well hidden before, more secret than the most secret, supreme.
तस्यां तिष्ठन्ति तीर्थानि तानि वक्ष्यामि तच्छृणु
In that region are the tīrthas; I will tell you of them, listen to this.
तीर्थसंख्या च वसुधे मथुरायां मयोदिता
O Vasudhā, I have declared to you the number of tīrthas in Mathurā.
प्रस्कन्दनं च भाण्डीरं कुरुक्षेत्रसमानि षट्
Praskandana and Bhāṇḍīra, and six equal to Kurukṣetra.
असिकुण्डं सवैकुण्ठं कोटितीर्थोत्तमं स्मृतम्
Asikuṇḍa, along with Vaikuṇṭha, is remembered as the most excellent among the ten million sacred fords.
चक्रतीर्थं तथाक्रूरं द्वादशादित्यसंज्ञितम्
Cakra Tīrtha, as well as Ākrūra, and the place known as Dvādaśāditya.
कुरुक्षेत्राच्छतगुणं मथुरायां न संशयः
There is no doubt that in Mathurā, the merit is a hundred times greater than at Kurukṣetra.
मथुरायास्तु माहात्म्यं ते यान्ति परमं पदम्
Those who attain the greatness of Mathurā reach the supreme state.
एतन्मरणकाले तु यः स्मरेत्प्रयतो नरः 168.
Whoever, at the time of death, remembers this with a pure mind—
एतत्ते कथितं देवि सर्वपातकनाशनम्
O Devi, this has been told to you; it destroys all sins.
इति श्रीवराहपुराणे भगवच्छास्त्रे मथुरामाहात्म्ये अष्टषष्ट्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred sixty-eighth chapter, concerning the greatness of Mathurā, in the divine scripture of the Śrī Varāha Purāṇa.
श्रीवराह उवाच तस्यां वसाम्यहं देवि मथुरायां च सर्वदा
Śrī Varāha said: O Devi, I always reside there in Mathurā.
सर्वेषामेव तीर्थानां मथुरा च परं महत्
Among all sacred fords, Mathurā is the highest and greatest.
चक्रस्थितं हि तत्सर्वं कृष्णस्यैव पदेन तु
Indeed, all of that abides in the Cakra, truly by the foot of Kṛṣṇa.
तत्रैव वासिनो लोका मुक्तिं यान्ति न संशयः
The inhabitants dwelling there surely attain liberation—there is no doubt.
तयोर्मध्ये स्थितो देव आकारात्सोमचक्रता
Between the two, the god stands, having the form of the Soma-cakra.
तस्माद्धि मरणं चात्र द्वे कोटी सर्वकर्मसु
Therefore, death here is equal to two crores in all actions.
तेन वै चाक्षया लोकाः प्राप्ताश्चैव न संशयः यज्ञोपवीतमात्रेण त्रायन्ते च कुलं बहु
By this, indeed, imperishable worlds are attained—there is no doubt; even by the mere sacred thread, many families are protected.
पृथिव्युवाच
The Earth said:
दक्षिणस्यां समारभ्य उत्तरस्यां समापयेत् 169.
Beginning from the south, one should complete it in the north.
मनुजा येन विधिना मुक्तिं यान्ति न संशयः गृहान्निःसृत्य मौनेन यावत्स्नानं समाचरेत्
By whatever method people attain liberation—there is no doubt—leaving the house in silence, one should perform bathing.
पूजां कृष्णस्य कृत्वा वै ततो ब्रूयाद्वसुन्धरे
Having worshipped Kṛṣṇa, then one should address the Earth.
कृष्णस्य कृत्वा तु मखं स्नानादीनि यथाक्रमम्
Having performed the sacrifice for Krishna, along with the prescribed bathing and other rites in due order,
ब्राह्मणान्भोजयेत्पश्चाद्विधिरेष उदाहृतः
one should then feed the Brahmins; this is the procedure that has been declared.
न तस्य पुनरावृत्तिर्मम लोके महीयते
He does not return again to my world—he is greatly honored.
अन्यत्र तु मृता ये च अर्धचन्द्रकृतक्रियाः
But as for those who die elsewhere, or whose rites are performed in the form of a half-moon,
यावदस्थीन्यर्द्धचन्द्रं यस्य तिष्ठन्ति देहिनः
as long as the bones of a person remain in the half-moon shape,
अर्द्धचन्द्रे विशेषोऽस्ति तीर्थे विश्रान्तिसंज्ञके
there is a special significance to the half-moon, at the holy place known as Viśrānti.