Dharma-tirtha, Shakambhari, and Suvarnakhya

Verse 1 (padma.3.28.1)

नारद उवाच । ततो गच्छेत धर्म्मज्ञ धर्म्मतीर्थं पुरातनम् । यत्र धर्मो महाभागस्तप्तवानुत्तमं तपः

nārada uvāca tato gaccheta dharmmajña dharmmatīrthaṁ purātanam yatra dharmo mahābhāgastaptavānuttamaṁ tapaḥ

Narada said: Then, O knower of dharma, one should go to the ancient Dharma-tirtha, where the greatly fortunate Dharma performed supreme austerity.

Verse 2 (padma.3.28.2)

तेन तीर्थं कृतं पुण्यं स्वेन नाम्ना च चिह्नितम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्धर्मशीलः समाहितः

tena tīrthaṁ kṛtaṁ puṇyaṁ svena nāmnā ca cihnitam tatra snātvā naro rājandharmaśīlaḥ samāhitaḥ

By him this tirtha was made sacred, and marked with his own name; having bathed there, O king, a man of righteous conduct, composed,

Verse 3 (padma.3.28.3)

आसप्तमं कुलं चैव पुनीते नात्र संशयः । ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ कलाप वनमुत्तमम्

āsaptamaṁ kulaṁ caiva punīte nātra saṁśayaḥ tato gaccheta dharmajña kalāpa vanamuttamam

purifies his family up to the seventh generation — there is no doubt of this. Then, O knower of dharma, one should go to the excellent Kalapa-vana;

Verse 4 (padma.3.28.4)

कृच्छ्रेण महता गत्वा तत्र स्नात्वा समाहितः । अग्निष्टोममवाप्नोति विष्णुलोकं च गच्छति

kṛcchreṇa mahatā gatvā tatra snātvā samāhitaḥ agniṣṭomamavāpnoti viṣṇulokaṁ ca gacchati

having gone there with great hardship, and having bathed there, composed, one obtains the fruit of the Agnishtoma and goes to the world of Vishnu.

Verse 5 (padma.3.28.5)

सौगंधिकं वनं राजंस्ततो गच्छेत मानवः । यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः

saugaṁdhikaṁ vanaṁ rājaṁstato gaccheta mānavaḥ yatra brahmādayo devā ṛṣayaśca tapodhanāḥ

O king, then one should go to the forest of Saugandhika, where Brahma and the other gods, and the ascetic sages,

Verse 6 (padma.3.28.6)

सिद्धचारणगंधर्वाः किन्नराः स महोरगाः । तद्वनं प्रविशन्नेव सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

siddhacāraṇagaṁdharvāḥ kinnarāḥ sa mahoragāḥ tadvanaṁ praviśanneva sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

the Siddhas, Charanas, gandharvas, kinnaras, and great serpents [dwell]; merely entering that forest, one is freed from all sins.

Verse 7 (padma.3.28.7)

ततो हि सा सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा नदीनामुत्तमा नदी । प्लक्षादेवी स्मृता राजन्महा पुण्या सरस्वती

tato hi sā saricchreṣṭhā nadīnāmuttamā nadī plakṣādevī smṛtā rājanmahā puṇyā sarasvatī

O king, thence flows that foremost of rivers, the finest of rivers, called the divine Plaksha — the greatly sacred Sarasvati.

Verse 8 (padma.3.28.8)

तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत वल्मीकान्निःसृते जले । अर्चयित्वा पितॄन्देवानश्वमेधफलं लभेत्

tatrābhiṣekaṁ kurvīta valmīkānniḥsṛte jale arcayitvā pitṝndevānaśvamedhaphalaṁ labhet

One should perform the ritual bath in the water that issues from an anthill; having worshipped the ancestors and gods, one obtains the fruit of the Ashvamedha.

Verse 9 (padma.3.28.9)

ईशानाध्युषितं नाम तत्र तीर्थं सुदुर्लभम् । षड्गुणं यन्निपातेषु वल्मीकादिति निश्चयः

īśānādhyuṣitaṁ nāma tatra tīrthaṁ sudurlabham ṣaḍguṇaṁ yannipāteṣu valmīkāditi niścayaḥ

There is an exceedingly rare tirtha there called Ishana-dhyushita; it is settled that its falling waters, from the anthill, are sixfold in merit.

Verse 10 (padma.3.28.10)

कपिलानां सहस्रं च वाजिमेधं च विंदति । तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र दृष्टमेतत्पुरातनैः

kapilānāṁ sahasraṁ ca vājimedhaṁ ca viṁdati tatra snātvā naravyāghra dṛṣṭametatpurātanaiḥ

One obtains the fruit of a thousand tawny cows, and of the horse-sacrifice; having bathed there, O tiger among men — this has been observed since ancient times.

Verse 11 (padma.3.28.11)

सुगंधां शतकुंभां च पंचयज्ञं च भारत । अभिगम्य नरश्रेष्ठ स्वर्गलोके महीयते

sugaṁdhāṁ śatakuṁbhāṁ ca paṁcayajñaṁ ca bhārata abhigamya naraśreṣṭha svargaloke mahīyate

O Bharata, having reached Sugandha, Shatakumbha, and Panchayajna, O best of men, one is honored in the heavenly world.

Verse 12 (padma.3.28.12)

त्रिशूलपात्रं तत्रैव तीर्थमासाद्य दुर्लभम् । तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत पितृदेवार्चने रतः

triśūlapātraṁ tatraiva tīrthamāsādya durlabham tatrābhiṣekaṁ kurvīta pitṛdevārcane rataḥ

There too, having reached the rare tirtha of Trishula-patra, one should perform the ritual bath, devoted to the worship of ancestors and gods,

Verse 13 (padma.3.28.13)

गाणपत्यं च लभते देहं त्यक्त्वा न संशयः । ततो राजगृहं गच्छेद्देव्याः स्थानं सुदुर्लभम्

gāṇapatyaṁ ca labhate dehaṁ tyaktvā na saṁśayaḥ tato rājagṛhaṁ gaccheddevyāḥ sthānaṁ sudurlabham

and, upon giving up the body, one obtains the state of Ganapatya — there is no doubt. Then one should go to Rajagriha, the exceedingly rare abode of the Goddess,

Verse 14 (padma.3.28.14)

शाकंभरीति विख्याता त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुता । दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं च शाकेन किल भारत

śākaṁbharīti vikhyātā triṣulokeṣu viśrutā divyaṁ varṣasahasraṁ ca śākena kila bhārata

renowned as Shakambhari, famed in the three worlds. O Bharata, for a thousand divine years, on vegetables alone,

Verse 15 (padma.3.28.15)

आहारं सा कृतवती मासिमासि नराधिप । ऋषयोऽभ्यागतास्तत्र देव्या भक्तास्तपोधनाः

āhāraṁ sā kṛtavatī māsimāsi narādhipa ṛṣayo'bhyāgatāstatra devyā bhaktāstapodhanāḥ

O lord of men, she took her food every month. Sages, her devotees and ascetics, came there as guests,

Verse 16 (padma.3.28.16)

आतिथ्यं च कृतं तेषां शाकेन किल भारत । ततः शाकंभरीत्येवं नाम तस्याः प्रतिष्ठितम्

ātithyaṁ ca kṛtaṁ teṣāṁ śākena kila bhārata tataḥ śākaṁbharītyevaṁ nāma tasyāḥ pratiṣṭhitam

O Bharata, and hospitality was given to them with vegetables. From that, her name Shakambhari became established.

Verse 17 (padma.3.28.17)

शाकंभरीं समासाद्य ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः । त्रिरात्रमुषितः शाकं भक्षयेन्नियतः शुचिः

śākaṁbharīṁ samāsādya brahmacārī samāhitaḥ trirātramuṣitaḥ śākaṁ bhakṣayenniyataḥ śuciḥ

Having reached Shakambhari, a composed celibate student, having dwelt three nights, disciplined and pure, should eat only vegetables.

Verse 18 (padma.3.28.18)

शाकाहारस्य यत्सम्यग्वर्षैर्द्वादशभिः फलम् । तत्फलं तस्य भवति देव्याश्छंदेन भारत

śākāhārasya yatsamyagvarṣairdvādaśabhiḥ phalam tatphalaṁ tasya bhavati devyāśchaṁdena bhārata

O Bharata, that which is the full fruit of a vegetable diet over twelve years — that fruit becomes his, by the Goddess's grace.

Verse 19 (padma.3.28.19)

ततो गच्छेत्सुवर्णाख्यं त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुतम् । यत्र कृष्णः प्रसादार्थं रुद्रमाराधयत्पुरा

tato gacchetsuvarṇākhyaṁ triṣulokeṣu viśrutam yatra kṛṣṇaḥ prasādārthaṁ rudramārādhayatpurā

Then one should go to Suvarnakhya, renowned in the three worlds, where Krishna formerly worshipped Rudra for his favor,

Verse 20 (padma.3.28.20)

वरांश्च सुबहूँल्लेभे देवैरपि स दुर्ल्लभान् । उक्तश्च त्रिपुरघ्नेन परितुष्टेन भारत

varāṁśca subahū~llebhe devairapi sa durllabhān uktaśca tripuraghnena parituṣṭena bhārata

and obtained very many boons, hard to attain even for the gods. O Bharata, the destroyer of Tripura, greatly pleased, said to him —

Verse 21 (padma.3.28.21)

अपि चात्माप्रियतरो लोके कृष्ण भविष्यसि । त्वन्मुखं च जगत्कृत्स्नं भविष्यति न संशयः

api cātmāpriyataro loke kṛṣṇa bhaviṣyasi tvanmukhaṁ ca jagatkṛtsnaṁ bhaviṣyati na saṁśayaḥ

'Moreover, O Krishna, you shall become dearer than one's own self in the world; and your face shall become the whole universe — there is no doubt.'

Verse 22 (padma.3.28.22)

तत्राभिगम्य राजेंद्र पूजयित्वा वृषध्वजम् । अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति गाणपत्यं च विंदति

tatrābhigamya rājeṁdra pūjayitvā vṛṣadhvajam aśvamedhamavāpnoti gāṇapatyaṁ ca viṁdati

O lord of kings, having gone there and worshipped the bull-bannered one, one obtains the fruit of the Ashvamedha and attains the state of Ganapatya.

Verse 23 (padma.3.28.23)

धूमावतीं ततो गच्छेत्त्रिरात्रमुषितो नरः । मनसा प्रार्थितान्कामाँल्लभते नात्र संशयः

dhūmāvatīṁ tato gacchettrirātramuṣito naraḥ manasā prārthitānkāmā~llabhate nātra saṁśayaḥ

Then, having gone to Dhumavati and dwelt three nights, a man obtains the desires prayed for in his mind — there is no doubt of this.

Verse 24 (padma.3.28.24)

देव्यास्तु दक्षिणार्धे नरथावर्त्तो नराधिप । तत्रागत्य तु धर्मज्ञ श्रद्दधानो जितेंद्रियः

devyāstu dakṣiṇārdhe narathāvartto narādhipa tatrāgatya tu dharmajña śraddadhāno jiteṁdriyaḥ

O lord of men, on the southern side of the Goddess is Narathavarta; O knower of dharma, having come there, faithful and of mastered senses,

Verse 25 (padma.3.28.25)

महादेवप्रसादेन गच्छेत परमां गतिम् । प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य गच्छेत भरतर्षभ

mahādevaprasādena gaccheta paramāṁ gatim pradakṣiṇamupāvṛtya gaccheta bharatarṣabha

by Mahadeva's grace, one attains the supreme destiny. O bull among the Bharatas, having performed circumambulation, one should proceed onward.