“Pulastya said, ‘One should next proceed, O king, to the adored
Kurukshetra at sight of which all creatures are freed from their sins. He
is freed from all sins who constantly sayeth, ‘I will live in
Kurukshetra.’ The very dust of Kurukshetra, conveyed by the wind, leadeth
a sinful man to a blessed course (in after-life). They that dwell in
Kurukshetra which lieth to the south of the Saraswati and the north of
the Drishadwati, are said to dwell in heaven. O hero, one should reside
there, O thou foremost of warriors, for a month. There, O lord of earth,
the gods with Brahma at their head, the Rishis, the Siddhas, the
Charanas, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, the Yakshas and the Nagas, often
repair, O Bharata, to the highly sacred Brahmakshetra. O foremost of
warriors, the sins of one that desireth to repair to Kurukshetra even
mentally are all destroyed, and he finally goeth into the region of
Brahma. O son of the Kuru race, by repairing to Kurukshetra in a pious
frame of mind, one obtaineth the fruit of the Rajasuya and horse
sacrifices. By saluting next the Yaksha called Mankanaka, that mighty
gate-keeper (of Kuvera), cue obtaineth the fruit of giving away a
thousand kine. O virtuous king, one should next repair to the excellent
region of Vishnu, where Hari is always present. Bathing there and bowing
down unto Hari, the Creator of the three worlds, one obtaineth the fruit
of the horse-sacrifice and repaireth to the abode of Vishnu. One should
next repair to Pariplava, that tirtha celebrated over the three worlds,
and (bathing there), O Bharata, one obtaineth merit that is greater than
that of the Agnishtoma and the Atiratra sacrifices. Repairing next to the
tirtha called Prithivi, one obtaineth the fruit of the gift of a thousand
kine. The pilgrim should next, O king, proceed to Shalukini and bathing
there in the Dasaswamedha one obtaineth the merit of ten
horse-sacrifices. Proceeding next to Sarpadevi, that excellent tirtha of
the Nagas, one obtaineth the merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice and
attaineth to the region of the Nagas. O virtuous one, one should next
proceed to Tarantuka, the gatekeeper, and residing there for one night
one obtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand kine. Proceeding next
with subdued senses and regulated diet to Panchananda and bathing in the
tirtha there, called Koti, one obtaineth the fruit of the
horse-sacrifice. Proceeding then to the tirtha of the twin Aswins one
obtaineth personal beauty. O virtuous one, one should next proceed to the
excellent tirtha called Varaha, where Vishnu formerly stood in the form
of a boar. Bathing there one obtaineth, O foremost of men, the merit of
the horse-sacrifice. One should next, O king, repair to the tirtha called
Sama in Jayanti. Bathing there one obtaineth the merit of Rajasuya
sacrifice. By bathing in Ekahansa, a man obtaineth the merit of giving
away a thousand kine. O king, a pilgrim repairing to Kritasaucha
obtaineth the lotus-eyed deity (Vishnu) and perfect purity of soul. One
should next proceed to Munjavata, that spot sacred to the illustrious
Sthanu. Residing there without food for one night, one obtaineth the
status called Ganapatya. There, O king, is the celebrated tirtha called
Yakshini. O king, repairing to that tirtha and bathing there, one
obtaineth fruition of all his desires. O bull of the Bharata race, that
tirtha is regarded as the gate of Kurukshetra. The pilgrim should with
concentrated soul, walk round it. Equal unto the Pushkaras, it was
created by the high-souled Rama, the son of Jamadagni. Bathing there and
worshipping the Pitris and the gods, one obtaineth, O king, the merit of
the horse-sacrifice and becometh successful in everything. The pilgrim
should next repair with concentrated soul to the Rama-hrada. There, O
king, the heroic Rama of resplendent energy, exterminating the Kshatriyas
by his might, dug five lakes and filled them, O tiger among men, with the
blood of his victims, as heard by us. And having filled those lakes with
Kshatriya blood, Rama offered oblations of blood to his sires and
grandsires. Gratified (with the oblations) those Rishis then addressed
Rama and said, ‘O Rama, O Rama, O thou of great good fortune, we have
been gratified with thee, O thou of the Bhrigu race, for this thy regard
for the Pitris, and thy prowess, O exalted one! Blessed be thou and ask
thou the boon thou choosest. What is that thou desirest, O thou of great
splendour!’ Thus addressed (by them), Rama, that foremost of smiters,
said with joined hands these words unto the Pitris, stationed in the
firmament, ‘If ye have been gratified with me, if I have deserved your
favour, I desire this favour of the Pitris, viz., that I may have
pleasure again in ascetic austerities. Let me also, through your power,
be freed from the sin I have committed by exterminating, from wrath, the
Kshatriya race. Let also my lakes become tirthas celebrated over the
world. The Pitris, hearing these blessed words of Rama, were highly
gratified, and filled with joy they answered him saying, ‘Let thy
asceticism increase in consequence of thy regard for the Pitris. Thou
hast exterminated the Kshatriyas from wrath. Freed art thou already from
that sin, for they have perished as a consequence of their own misdeeds.
Without doubt, these lakes of thine will become tirthas. And if one,
bathing in these lakes, offereth oblations of the water thereof to the
Pitris, the latter gratified with him will grant him desire, difficult of
fulfilment in the world as also eternal heaven.’ O king, having granted
him these boons, the Pitris joyfully saluted Rama of the Bhrigu race and
disappeared there and then. It was thus that the lakes of the illustrious
Rama of the Bhrigu race became sacred. Leading a Brahmacharya mode of
life and observing sacred vows, one should bathe in the lakes of Rama.
Bathing therein and worshipping Rama, one obtaineth, O king, the merit of
gift of gold in abundance. Proceeding next, O son of the Kuru race, to
Vansamulaka, a pilgrim by bathing there, raiseth, O king, his own race. O
best of the Bharatas, arriving next at the tirtha called Kayasodhana, and
bathing there, one purifieth, without doubt, his body, and proceeded with
purified body to the blessed region of unrivalled excellence. One should
next repair, O virtuous one, to that tirtha, celebrated over the three
worlds, called Lokoddara, where formerly Vishnu of great prowess had
created the worlds. Arriving at that tirtha which is adored by the three
worlds one earneth, O king, by bathing there, numerous worlds for
himself. Repairing next with subdued soul to the tirtha called Sree, one
acquires, by bathing there and worshipping the Pitris and the gods, high
prosperity. Leading a Brahmacharya mode of life and with concentrated
soul, one should proceed next to the tirtha called Kapila. Bathing there
and worshipping one’s own Pitris and the gods, a man earneth the fruit of
the gift of a thousand Kapila kine. Repairing next to the tirtha called
Surya and bathing there with subdued soul and worshipping the Pitris and
the gods, fasting all the while, one obtaineth the fruit of the
Agnishtoma sacrifice and goeth (finally) to the region of the Sun. The
pilgrim by proceeding next to Gobhavana and bathing there obtaineth the
merit of the gift of a thousand kine. O son of the Kuru race, a pilgrim
by repairing then to the tirtha called Shankhini and bathing in the
Devi-tirtha that is there, obtaineth high prowess. O king, one should
then proceed to the tirtha called Tarandaka situated in the Saraswati and
belonging to the illustrious chief of the Yakshas who is one of the
gate-keepers (of Kuvera). O king, bathing there one obtaineth the fruit
of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. O virtuous king, one should next repair to
the tirtha called Brahmavarta. Bathing in Brahmavarta, one ascendeth to
the abode of Brahma. O king, one should then repair to the excellent
tirtha called Sutirtha. There the Pitris are ever present along with the
gods. One should bathe there and worship the Pitris and the gods. By so
doing, one obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice and goeth (finally)
into the region of the Pitris. It is for this, O virtuous one, that
Sutirtha situate in Amvumati is regarded as so excellent. And, O thou
best of the Bharata race, having bathed in the tirtha of Kasiswara, one
becometh freed from all diseases and is adored in the abode of Brahma.
There, in that tirtha, is another called Matri. One that bathes in Matri
tirtha hath a large progeny and obtaineth, O king, great prosperity. One
should next proceed with subdued sense and regulated diet to the tirtha
called Shitavana. And, O great king, it hath been seen that one merit of
that tirtha which rarely belongs to any other, is that one only going
thither obtaineth holiness. By casting off his hair in that tirtha one
acquireth, O Bharata, great sanctity. There, in that tirtha, is another
called Shwavillomapaha, where, O tiger among men, and chief of the
Bharata race, learned Brahmanas that go to tirthas obtain great
satisfaction by a dip into its waters. Good Brahmanas, O king, by casting
off their hair in that tirtha acquire holiness by Pranayama and finally
attain to a high state. There, O king, in that tirtha is also another
called Dasaswamedhika. Bathing there, O tiger among men, one attains to a
high state. One should next proceed, O king, to the celebrated tirtha
called Manusha where, O king, a number of black antelopes afflicted by
the hunter’s arrows, plunging into its waters, were transformed into
human beings. Bathing in that tirtha, leading a Brahmacharya mode of life
and with concentrated soul, a man becomes freed from all his sins and is
adored in heaven. Distant by a krosa, O king, to the east of Manusha
there is a river celebrated by the name of Apaga that is restored to by
the Siddhas. The man that offereth there the syamaka grain in honour of
the gods and the Pitris acquireth great religious merit. And if one
Brahmana is fed there, it becomes equivalent to feeding ten millions of
Brahmanas. Having bathed in that tirtha and worshipped the gods and the
Pitris and resided there for one night, a man obtaineth the merit of the
Agnishtoma sacrifice. One should then repair, O king, to that excellent
region of Brahma which, O Bharata, is known on earth by the name of
Brahmodumvara. Bathing in the tank of the seven Rishis that is there, O
bull among men, with pure mind and subdued soul, as also in the tirtha
called Kedara of the high-souled Kapila, and beholding Brahma who is
there, one’s soul being purified from all sins, one goeth to the abode of
Brahma. Proceeding next to the inaccessible tirtha called Kedara of
Kapila, and burning one’s sins there by ascetic penances, one acquireth
the power of disappearance at will. One should next proceed, O king, to
the celebrated tirtha called Saraka, and beholding Mahadeva there on the
fourteenth day of the dark fortnight, one obtaineth all his wishes and
goeth also into heaven. O son of the Kuru race, in Saraka and Rudrakoti
as also in the well and the lakes that are there, thirty millions of
tirthas are present. There in that tirtha, O chief of the Bharatas, is
another called Ilaspada. Bathing there and worshipping the gods and the
Pitris, one never sinketh into hell but obtaineth the fruit of the
Vajapeya sacrifice. Repairing next to Kindana and Kinjapya, one
acquireth, O Bharata, the merit of giving away in measureless abundance
and the infinite recitation of prayers. Repairing next to the tirtha
called Kalasi and bathing there devoutly and with the senses under
control, a man obtaineth the fruit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. To the
east of Saraka, O chief of the Kurus, there is an auspicious tirtha known
by the name of Anajanma, of the high-souled Narada. He that bathes there,
O Bharata, obtaineth, after death, at the command of Narada various
unrivalled regions. One should next proceed, on the tenth day of the
lighted fortnight, to the tirtha called Pundarika. Bathing there, O king,
one obtaineth the merit of the Pundarika sacrifice. One should next
proceed to the tirtha called Tripishtapa that is known over the three
worlds. There in that tirtha is the sacred and sin-destroying river
called Vaitarani. Bathing there and adoring the god known by the mark of
the bull and holding the trident in his hand, one’s soul being purified
from every sin one attaineth to the highest state. One should next
proceed, O king, to the excellent tirtha called Phalakivana. There in
that tirtha the gods, O monarch, having been present, performed their
ascetic austerities extending for many thousand years. One should then
proceed to the Dhrishadwati. Bathing there and worshipping the gods, one
obtaineth, O Bharata, merit that is superior to that of both the
Agnishtoma and the Atiratra sacrifices. O chief of the Bharatas, bathing
in that tirtha called Sarvadeva, a man obtaineth, O king, the merit of
giving away a thousand kine. Bathing next in the tirtha called Panikhata
and worshipping all the gods, a man obtaineth merit that is superior to
that of both the Agnishtoma and the Atiratra sacrifices, besides
acquiring that of the Rajasuya sacrifice and finally going into the
region of the Rishis. One should next proceed, O virtuous one, to that
excellent tirtha called Misraka. There, O tiger among kings, it hath been
heard by us that the high-souled Vyasa, for the sake of the Brahmanas,
hath mixed all the tirthas. He, therefore, that bathes in Misraka really
bathes in all the tirtha. One should next proceed with subdued senses and
regulated diet, to the tirtha called Vyasavana. Bathing in the tirtha
called Manojava that is there, one obtaineth the merit of the gift of a
thousand kine. Proceeding next to the Devi tirtha that is in Madhuvati,
one that bathes there and worships the gods and the Pitris obtains at the
command of the Goddess the merit of the gift of a thousand kine.
Proceeding with regulated diet, he that bathes in the confluence of the
Kausiki and the Drishadwati, becometh free from all his sins. One should
next proceed to Vyasasthali where Vyasa of great intelligence, burning
with grief for his son had resolved to cast off his body but was cheered
again by the gods. Proceeding to that spot of Vyasa, one obtaineth the
merit of a thousand kine. O son of the Kuru race, proceeding next to the
well called Kindatta, he that throweth into it a measure of sesame, is
freed from all his debts and obtaineth his success. Bathing in the tirtha
called Vedi, one obtaineth the merit of the gift of a thousand kine.
There are two other celebrated tirthas called Ahas and Sudina. Bathing
there, O tiger among men, one goeth to the region of the Sun. One should
next proceed to the tirtha called Mrigadhuma that is celebrated
throughout the three worlds. One should bathe there, O king, in Ganga.
Bathing there and worshipping Mahadeva, one obtaineth the merit of the
horse-sacrifice. Bathing next in the Devi tirtha one obtaineth the merit
of the gift of a thousand kine. One should then proceed to Vamanaka
celebrated over the three worlds. Bathing there in Vishnupada and
worshipping Vamana one’s soul being purified from every sin, one goeth to
the abode of Vishnu. Bathing next in Kulampuna, one sanctifieth his own
race. Proceeding then to the Pavana-hrada, that excellent tirtha of the
Marutas, and bathing there, O king and tiger among men, one becometh
adored in the region of the Wind-god. Bathing in the Amara-hrada and
worshipping with devotion the chief of the celestials, one becometh
adored in heaven and courseth, seated on an excellent car, in the company
of the immortals. O best of great men, bathing next with due rites in the
tirtha called Sali surya, of Salihotra, one obtaineth the merit of the
gift of a thousand kine. O best of the Bharatas, there is a tirtha called
Sreekunja in the Saraswati. Bathing there, O best of men, one obtaineth
the merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. O son of the Kuru race, one should
next repair to Naimishakunja. O king, the Rishis engaged in ascetic
austerities in the woods of Naimisha had, in days of old, taking the vow
of pilgrimage, gone to Kurukshetra. There, on the banks of the Saraswati,
O chief of the Bharatas, a grove was made, which might serve for a
resting spot for themselves, and which was highly gratifying to them.
Bathing in the Saraswati there, one obtaineth the merit of the Agnishtoma
sacrifice. One should next proceed, O virtuous one, to the excellent
tirtha called Kanya. Bathing there one obtaineth the merit of the gift of
a thousand kine. One should next proceed to the excellent tirtha of
Brahma. Bathing there, a person, of the (three) inferior orders,
obtaineth the status of a Brahmana, and if one be a Brahmana, his soul
being purified from every sin, he attaineth to the highest state. One
should then, O best of men, proceed to the excellent tirtha called Soma.
Bathing there, O king, one obtaineth the region of Soma. One should next
proceed, O king, to the tirtha called Saptasaraswata, where the
celebrated Rishi, Mankanaka, had obtained ascetic success. O king, it
hath been heard by us that in days of old Mankanaka having cut his hand
with the pointed blade of the Kusa grass, there flowed from his wound
vegetable juice (instead of blood). And beholding vegetable juice flow
from his wound, the Rishi began to dance with wonder-expanded eyes. And
as the Rishi danced, all the mobile and immobile creatures also,
overwhelmed with his prowess, began to dance with him. Then, O king, the
gods with Brahma at their head and Rishis endued with the wealth of
asceticism moved by the act of Mankanaka, represented the matter to
Mahadeva, saying, ‘It behoveth thee, O god, to act in such a way that
this Rishi may not dance.’ Thus addressed, Mahadeva, with heart filled
with joy, approached the dancing Rishi, and moved by the desire of doing
good to the gods, said, ‘O great Rishi, O virtuous one, why dost thou
dance? O bull among Munis, what can be the reason of this thy present
joy?’ The Rishi answered, ‘O best of Brahmanas, I am an ascetic that
tread the path of virtue. Dost thou not behold, O Brahmana, that
vegetable juice floweth from the wound in my hand? Filled with great joy
at sight of this, I am dancing.’ Addressing the Rishi blinded by emotion,
the god laughingly said, ‘O Brahmana, I do not wonder at this. Behold
me.’ Having said this, O best of men, Mahadeva, O sinless king, pressed
his thumb by the tip of his own finger. And, lo, from the wound thus
inflicted, there came out ashes white as snow. And beholding this, O
king, that Muni became ashamed and fell at the feet of the god. And
believing that there was nothing better and greater than the god Rudra,
he began to adore him in these words:
“O holder of the trident, thou art the refuge of the celestials and the
Asuras, of, indeed, the universe. By thee have been created the three
worlds with their mobile and immobile beings. It is thou again that
swallowest everything at the end of the Yuga. Thou art incapable of being
known by the gods themselves, far less by me. O sinless one, the gods
with Brahma at their heads are all displayed in thee. Thou art all, the
Creator himself and the Ordainer of the worlds. It is by thy grace that
all the gods sport without anxiety or fear. And adoring Mahadeva thus the
Rishi also said, ‘O god of gods, grant me thy grace, so that my
asceticism may not diminish.’ Then that god of cheerful soul answered the
regenerate Rishi,--saying, ‘Let thy asceticism, O Brahmana, increase a
thousandfold through my grace. And, O great Muni, I shall dwell with thee
in this thy asylum. Bathing in Saptasaraswata, they that will worship me,
shall be able to attain everything here and hereafter. And, without
doubt, they shall all attain to the Saraswata region in the end.’ Having
said this, Mahadeva disappeared then and there.
“After visiting Saraswata, one should proceed to Ausanasa celebrated over
the three worlds. There, O Bharata, the gods with Brahma at their head,
and Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism, and the illustrious
Kartikeya, were ever present during two twilights and the mid-day,
impelled by the desire of doing good to Bhargava. There in that tirtha is
another called Kapalamochana, which cleanseth from every sin. O tiger
among men, bathing there one is cleansed from every sin. One should then
proceed to the tirtha called Agni. Bathing there, O bull among men, one
obtaineth the regions of agni and raiseth his own race (from lower
regions). There in that tirtha is another, O chief of the Bharatas, that
belongeth to Viswamitra. Bathing there, O best of men, one obtaineth the
status of a Brahmana. Proceeding next to Brahmayoni in purity of body and
with subdued soul, one obtaineth, O tiger among men, by bathing there,
the abode of Brahma, and sanctifieth, without doubt, his own race to the
seventh generation up and down. One should next proceed, O king, to the
tirtha celebrated over the three worlds, which is called Prithudaka,
belonging to Kartikeya. One should bathe there and occupy oneself in the
worship of the Pitris and the gods. Whatever evil hath been committed,
knowingly or unknowingly, by man or woman, impelled by human motives, is
all destroyed, O Bharata, by a bath in that tirtha. Bathing there one
obtaineth, too, the merit of the horse-sacrifice and heaven also. The
learned have said that Kurukshetra is holy; that holier than Kurukshetra
is the Saraswati; that holier than the Saraswati are all the tirthas
together, and that holier than all the tirthas together is Prithudaka. He
that engaged in the recitation of prayers casteth off his body at
Prithudaka, which is the best of all tirthas, becometh an immortal. It
hath been sung by Sanatkumara and by the high-souled Vyasa, and it is in
the Vedas also, that one should, O king, go to Prithudaka, with subdued
soul. O son of Kuru race, there is no tirtha which is superior to
Prithudaka. Without doubt, that tirtha is purifying, holy and
sin-destroying. O best of men, it hath been said by learned persons that
men, however sinful, by bathing in Prithudaka, go to heaven. O best of
the Bharatas, there in that tirtha is another called Madhusrava. Bathing
there, O king, one obtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand kine.
One should then proceed, O king, to that celebrated and sacred tirtha
where the Saraswati uniteth with the Aruna. One that batheth there,
having fasted for three nights, is cleansed of even the sin of slaying a
Brahmana, and obtaineth also merit that is superior to that of either the
Agnishtoma or Atiratra sacrifice, and rescueth his race to the seventh
generation up and down. There in that tirtha is another, O perpetuator of
the Kuru race, that is called Ardhakila. From compassion for the
Brahmanas, that tirtha was made by Darbhi in days of old. Without doubt,
by vows, by investiture of the sacred, by fasts, by rites and by Mantras,
one becometh a Brahmana. O bull among men, it hath been seen, however, by
learned persons of old that even one destitute of rites and Mantras, by
only bathing in that tirtha becometh learned and endued with the merit of
vows. Darbhi had also brought hither the four oceans. O best of men, one
that batheth here, never meeteth with distress hereafter and obtaineth
also the merit of giving away four thousand kine. One should next repair,
O virtuous one, to the tirtha called Satasahasraka. Near to this is
another called Sahasraka. Both are celebrated, and one that batheth in
them, obtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand kine. Fasts and gifts
there multiply a thousandfold. One should next proceed, O king, to the
excellent tirtha called Renuka. One should bathe there and worship the
Pitris and the gods. By this, cleansed from every sin, he obtaineth the
merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. Bathing next in the tirtha called
Vimochana with passions and senses under control, one is cleansed from
all the sins generated by the acceptance of gifts. With senses under
control and practising the Brahmacharya mode of life, one should next
repair to the woods of Panchavati. By a sojourn thither, one earneth much
virtue and becometh adored in the regions of the virtuous. One should
next go to the tirtha of Varuna called Taijasa, blazing in effulgence of
its own. There in that tirtha is the lord of Yoga, Sthanu himself, having
for his vehicle the bull. He that sojourneth there, obtaineth success by
worshipping the god of gods. It was there that the gods with Brahma at
their head and Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism, installed Guha as
the generalissimo of the celestials. To the east of that tirtha is
another, O perpetuator of Kuru race, that is called Kuru tirtha. With
senses under control and leading a Brahmacharya mode of life, he that
bathes in Kuru-tirtha, becometh cleansed of all his sins and obtaineth
the region of Brahma. With subdued senses and regulated diet one should
next proceed to Svargadwara. Sojourning thither, one obtaineth the merit
of the Agnishtoma sacrifice and goeth to the abode of Brahma. The pilgrim
should then, O king, proceed to the tirtha called Anaraka. Bathing there,
O king, one never meeteth with distress hereafter. There, O king, Brahma
himself with the other gods having Narayana at their head, is ever
present, O tiger among men! And, O royal son of the Kuru race, the wife
also of Rudra is present there. Beholding the goddess, one never meeteth
with distress hereafter. There in that tirtha O king, is also (an image
of) Visweswara, the lord of Uma. Beholding the god of gods there, one is
cleansed of all his sins. Beholding also (the image of) Narayana from
whose navel had sprung the lotus, one blazeth forth, O royal represser of
all foes, and goeth to the abode of Vishnu. O bull among men, he that
batheth in the tirthas of all the gods, is exempted from every sorrow and
blazeth forth like the Moon. The pilgrim should next proceed, O king, to
Swastipura. By walking around that place, one obtaineth the merit of
giving away a thousand kine. Arriving next at the tirtha called Pavana,
one should offer oblations to the Pitris and the gods. By this, he
obtaineth, O Bharata, the merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. Near to that
is Ganga-hrada, and another, O Bharata, called Kupa. Thirty millions of
tirthas, O king, are present in that Kupa. Bathing there, O king, a
person obtaineth heaven. Bathing also in the Ganga-hrada and adoring
Maheswara, one obtaineth the status of Ganapatya and rescueth his own
race. One should next proceed to Sthanuvata, celebrated over the three
worlds. Bathing there, O king, one obtaineth heaven. One should then
proceed to Vadaripachana, the asylum of Vasishtha. Having tasted there
for three nights, one should eat jujubes. He that liveth on jujubes for
twelve years, and he that fasteth at the tirtha for three nights,
acquireth merit that is eternal. Arriving then at Indramarga, O king, and
fasting there for a day and night the pilgrim becometh adored in the
abode of Indra. Arriving next at the tirtha called Ekaratra, a person
that stayeth there for one night, with regulated vows and refraining from
untruth, becometh adored in the abode of Brahma. One should next go, O
king, to the asylum of Aditya--that illustrious god who is a mass of
effulgence. Bathing in that tirtha celebrated over three worlds, and
worshipping the god of light, one goeth to the region of Aditya and
rescueth his own race. The pilgrim then, O king, bathing in the tirtha of
Soma, obtaineth, without doubt, the region of Soma. One should next
proceed, O virtuous one, to the most sacred tirtha of the illustrious
Dadhicha, that sanctifying tirtha which is celebrated over the whole
world. It was here that Angiras, that ocean of ascetic austerities
belonging to the Saraswata race, was born, Bathing in that tirtha, one
obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice, and without doubt, gaineth
also residence in the legion of Saraswati. With subdued senses and
leading a Brahmacharya mode of life, one should next proceed to
Kanyasrama. Residing there for three nights, O king, with subdued senses
and regulated diet, one obtaineth a hundred celestial damsels and goeth
also to the abode of Brahma. One should next, O virtuous one, proceed to
the tirtha called Sannihati. Sojourning thither the gods with Brahma at
their head and Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism earn much virtue.
Bathing in the Saraswati during a solar eclipse, one obtaineth the merit
of a hundred horse-sacrifices, and any sacrifice that one may perform
there produceth merit that is eternal. Whatever tirthas exist on earth or
in the firmament, all the rivers, lakes, smaller lakes, springs, tanks,
large and small, and spots sacred to particular gods, without doubt, all
come, O tiger among men, month after month, and mingle with Sannihati, O
king of men! And it is because that all other tirthas are united together
here, that this tirtha is so called. Bathing there and drinking of its
water, one becometh adored in heaven. Listen now, O king, to the merit
acquired by that mortal who performeth a Sraddha on the day of the new
moon during a solar eclipse. The person that performeth a Sraddha there,
after having bathed in that tirtha, obtaineth the merit that one earneth
by properly celebrating a thousand horse-sacrifices. Whatever sins a man
or woman committeth, are, without doubt, all destroyed as soon as one
batheth in that tirtha. Bathing there one also ascendeth to the abode of
Brahma on the lotus-coloured tar. Bathing next in Koti-tirtha, after
having worshipped the Yaksha doorkeeper, Machakruka, one obtaineth the
merit of giving away gold in abundance. Near to this, O best of the
Bharatas, is a tirtha called Gangahrada. One should bathe there, O
virtuous one, with subdued soul and leading a Brahmacharya mode of life.
By this, one obtaineth merit that is greater than that of a Rajasuya and
horse-sacrifices. The tirtha called Naimisha is productive of good on
earth. Pushkara is productive of good in the regions of the firmament;
Kurukshetra, however, is productive of good in respect of all the three
worlds. Even the dust of Kurukshetra, carried by the wind, leadeth sinful
men to a highly blessed state. They that reside in Kurukshetra, which
lieth to the north of the Drishadwati and the south of the Saraswati,
really reside in heaven. ‘I will go to Kurukshetra,’ ‘I will dwell in
Kurukshetra,’ he that uttereth those words even once, becometh cleansed
of all sins. The sacred Kurukshetra which is worshipped by Brahmarshis,
is regarded as the sacrificial altar of the celestials. Those mortals
that dwell there, have nothing to grieve for at any time. That which
lieth between Tarantuka and Arantuka and the lakes of Rama and Machakruka
is Kurukshetra. It is also called Samantapanchaka and is said to be the
northern sacrificial altar of the Grandsire.’