वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः प्रयातः कौशिक्याः पाण्डवो जनमेजय। आनुपूर्येण सर्वाणि जगामायतनान्यथ॥ स सागरं समासाद्य गङ्गायाः संगमे नृप। नदीशतानां पञ्चानां मध्ये चक्रे समाप्लवम्॥
Vaishampayana said: O Janmejaya, thereupon the Pandavas started from the Kaushika and went, one after the other, to all the sacred shrines. O King, going to the sea where the Ganges mingles with it, he performed the sacred ceremony of a plunge in the centre of the five hundred rivers.
ततः समुद्रतीरेण जगाम वसुधाधिपः। भ्रातृभिः सहितो वीरः कालिङ्गान् प्रति भारत॥
O descendant of Bharata, that ruler of earth, the hero, accompanied by his brothers then went along the shore of the ocean to the land of the Kalinga.
लोमश उवाच एते कलिङ्गाः कौन्तेय यत्र वैतरणी नदी। यत्रायजतधर्मोऽपि देवाञ्छरणमेत्य वै॥
Lomasha said: O son of Kunti, this is Kalinga where flows the river Vaitarani, where (on the banks of which) Dharma performed sacrifices under the protection of the celestials.
ऋषिभिः समुपायुक्तं यज्ञियं गिरिशोभितम्। उत्तरं तीरमेतद्धि सततं द्विजसेवितम्॥
This is the Northern bank of the Vaitarani) always frequented by the Brahmanas, inhabited by the Rishis, suitable tur performning sacrifices and adorned with a hill.
समानं देवयानेन पथा स्वर्गमुपेयुषः। अत्र वै ऋषयोऽन्येऽपि पुरा क्रतुभिरीजिरे॥
It rivals the path by which a virtuous man fit for going to heaven goes to the celestials region in the days of yore, the Rishis performed sacrifices at this spot.
अत्रैव रुद्रो राजेन्द्र पशुमादत्तवान् मखे। पशुमादाय राजेन्द्र भागोऽयमिति चाब्रवीत्॥
O king of kings, here at this spot Rudra seized the sacrificial beast. O king of kings, he then exclaimed, “This is my share.
हते पशौ तदा देवास्तमूचुर्भरतर्षभ। मा परस्व मभिद्रोग्धा माधर्मान् सकलान् वशीः॥
O best of the Bharata race, the (sacrificial) beasts being thus taken away, the celestials then thus spoke to him, “Do not cast covetous eyes on the property of others. Do not disregard all the righteous rules.”
ततः कल्याणरूपाभिर्वाग्भिस्ते रुद्रपस्तुवन्। इष्ट्या चैनं तर्पयित्वा मानयांचक्रिरे तदा॥
They then addressed pleasing words of glorification to Rudra (Shiva). They gratified him with a sacrifice and they offered him suitable honours.
ततः स पशुमुत्सृज्य देवयानेन जग्मिवान्। तत्रानुवंशो रुद्रस्य तं निबोध युधिष्ठिर॥
Thereupon giving up the beast, he went away by the path trodden by the celestials. O Yudhishthira, hear from me me what then happened to Rudra.
अयातयामं सर्वेभ्यो भागेभ्यो भागमुत्तमम्। देवाः संकल्पयामासुर्भयाद् रुद्रस्य शाश्वतम्॥
The celestials from the fear of Rudra set apart for eternity the best portion of all shares (of a sacrifice) such as was fresh and not stale.
इमां गाथामत्र गायन्नपः स्पृशति यो नरः। देवयानोऽस्य पन्थाश्च चक्षुषाभिप्रकाशते॥
The man, who bathes at this spot and recites this ancient story, sees with his human eyes the path that leads to the celestials region.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो वैतरणी सर्वे पाण्डवा द्रौपदी तथा। अवतीर्य महाभागास्तर्पयांचक्रिरे पितॄन्।॥
Vaishampayana said : Thereupon all the highly exalted Pandavas with Draupadi descended to the Vaitarani and offered oblations to the Pitris.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच उपस्पृश्येह विधिवदस्यां नद्यां तपोबलात्। मानुषादस्मि विषयादपेतः पश्य लोमश॥
Yudhishthira said : O Lomasha, behold, how great is the merit of a pious act! Having bathed in this spot with proper form, I seem no more to touch the world of men.
सर्वा ल्लोकान् प्रपश्यामि प्रसादात् तव सुव्रत। वैखानसानां जपतामेष शब्दो महात्मनाम्॥
O vow-observing Rishi, through your grace I see all the regions. This is the sound of the recitations (of the Vedas) by the high-souled Rishis.
लोमश उवाच त्रिशतं वै सहस्राणि योजनानां युधिष्ठिर। यत्रध्वनि शृणोष्येनं तूष्णीमास्स्व विशाम्पते॥
Lomasha said: O Yudhishthira, O ruler of men, the place from which you hear this sound, is distant from here three hundred thousand yojanas. Keep quiet.
एतत् स्वयम्भुवो राजन् वनं दिव्यं प्रकाशते। यत्रायजत राजेन्द्र विश्वकर्मा प्रतापवान्॥
O king, this is the celestials forest of the self-create (Brahma) where, O king of kings, the powerful Vishvamitra-performed his sacrifices.
यस्मिन् यज्ञे हि भूर्दत्ता कश्यपाय महात्मने। सपर्वतवनोद्देशा दक्षिणार्थे स्वयम्भुवा॥
In which sacrifices the self-create (Brahma) gave away to the illustrious Kashyapa, as Dakshina, this earth with all its mountains, rivers and countries.
अवासीदच्च कौन्तेय दत्तमात्रा मही तदा। उवाच चापि कुपिता लोकेश्वरमिदं प्रभुम्॥ न मां माय भगवन् कस्मैचिद् दातुमर्हसि। प्रदानं मोघमेतत् ते यास्याम्येषा रसातलम्॥
O son of Kunti, as soon as earth was given away, she became sad; and thus she spoke in anger to the exalted lord of the world, “O exalted one, you should not have given me away to any mortal. Your this giving me away would come to nothing, for I am going down to the nether world."
विषीदन्ती तु तां दृष्ट्वा कश्यपो भगवानृषिः। प्रसादयाम्बभूवाथ ततो भूमिं विशाम्पते॥
O ruler of earth seeing the earth sad and despondent, the exalted Rishi, Kashyapa, gratified her by a propitiatory act.
ततः प्रसन्ना पृथिवी तपसा तस्य पाण्डव। पुनरुनह्य सलिलाद् वेदीरूपा स्थिता बभौ॥
O son of Pandu, thereupon the earth was gratified with his asceticism. She again rose from the water and remained as a sacrificial altar.
सैषा प्रकाशते राजन् वेदी संस्थानलक्षणा। आरुह्यात्र महाराज वीर्यवान् वै भविष्यसि॥
O king, yonder before us is the spot with the distinct form of that sacred altar. O great king, ascending it, become great in prowess.
सैषा सागरमासाद्य राजन् वेदी समाश्रिता। एतामारुह्य भद्रं ते त्वमेकस्तर सागरम्॥
O king, this is that sacred altar stretching as far as the sea; be blessed by ascending it; and of yourself cross the sea.
अहं च ते स्वस्त्ययनं प्रयोक्ष्ये यथा त्वमेनामधिरोहसेऽद्या मेषा वेदी प्रविशत्याजमीढ॥
When you will ascend it today, I shall perform the ceremony to avert all evils from you, for, O descendant of Ajainida, this altar here, as soon as it is touched by a mortal, goes down into the sea.
ॐ नमो विश्वगुप्ताय नमो विश्वपराय ते। सांनिध्यं कुरु देवेश सागरे लवणाम्भसि॥
“I bow to the god who protects the universe. I bow to the god who is beyond this universe. O lord of gods, come near this salt sea."
अग्निर्मित्रायोनिरापोऽथ देव्यो विष्णो रेतस्त्वममृतस्य नाभिः। एवं ब्रुवन् पाण्डव सत्यवाक्यं वेदीमिमां त्वं तरसाधिरोह॥ अग्निश्च ते योनिरिडा च देहो रेतोधा विष्णोरमृतस्य नाभिः। एवं जपन् पाण्डव सत्यवाक्यं ततोऽवगाहेत पति नदीनाम्॥
"The fire, the sun, the organ of generation, water, the goddess, the seed of Vishnu, nectar and the navel of nectar. The god of fire is the organ that generated you (ocean). The earth is your body. Vishnu gave the seed that caused your being. You are the navel of nectar." O son of Pandu, you must recite the above words of truth and as you recite you must quickly ascend this altar. O Pandava, thus, these words of truth must be audibly recited; and while thus reciting them, one must plunge into this lord of rivers (ocean).
अन्यथा हि कुरुश्रेष्ठ देवयोनिरपां पतिः। कुशाग्रेणापि कौन्तेय न स्प्रष्टव्यो महोदधिः॥
O son of Kunti, O best of the Kurus, else this lord of waters of divine origin, this great ocean, must not be touched even by the end of a Kusha (grass).
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः कृतस्वस्त्ययनो महात्मा युधिष्ठिरः सागरमभ्यगच्छत्। कृत्वा च तच्छासनमस्य सर्वं महेन्द्रमासाद्य निशामुवास॥
Vaishampayana said : Thereupon when the ceremony to avert evils had been completed, the high-souled Yudhishthira went into the sea. Having performed all that the Rishi (Lomasha) had ordered, he went to the Mahendra (mountain) and spent the night there.