“Lomasa said, ‘Here, O king! The lord of born beings himself performed a
sacrifice in former times,--the ceremony called Ishtikrita, which
occupied one thousand years. And Amvarisha, son of Nabhaga, sacrificed
near the Yamuna river. And having sacrificed there, he gave away ten
Padmas (of gold coins) to the attendant priests, and he obtained the
highest success by his sacrifices and austerities. And, O Kunti’s son!
This is the spot where that sovereign of the entire earth, Nahusha’s son,
Yayati, of unmeasured force, and who led a holy life, performed his
sacrificial rites. He competed with Indra and performed his sacrifice
here. Behold how the ground is studded with places for the sacrificial
fires of various forms, and how the earth seems to be subsiding here
under the pressure of Yayati’s pious works. This is the Sami tree, which
hath got but a single leaf, and this is a most excellent lake. Behold
these lakes of Parasurama, and the hermitage of Narayana. O protector of
earth! This is the path which was followed by Richika’s son, of
unmeasured energy, who roamed over the earth, practising the Yoga rites
in the river Raupya. And, O delight of the tribe of Kurus! Hear what a
Pisacha woman (she-goblin), who was decked with pestles for her
ornaments, said (to a Brahmana woman), as I was reciting here the table
of genealogy. (She said), “Having eaten curd in Yugandhara, and lived in
Achutasthala, and also bathed in Bhutilaya, thou shouldst live with thy
sons. Having passed a single night here, if thou wilt spend the second,
the events of the night will be different from those that have happened
to thee in the day-time, O most righteous of Bharata’s race! Today we
shall spend the night at this very spot. O scion of Bharata’s race! this
is the threshold of the field of the Kurus. O king! At this very spot,
the monarch Yayati, son of Nahusha, performed sacrificial rites, and made
gifts of an abundance of gems. And Indra was pleased with those sacred
rites. This is an excellent holy bathing-place on the river Yamuna, known
as Plakshavatarana (descent of the banian tree). Men of cultured minds
call it the entrance to the region of heaven. O respected sir! here,
after having performed sacrificial rites of the Saraswata king, and
making use of the sacrificial stake for their pestle, the highest order
of saints performed the holy plunge prescribed at the end of a sacred
ceremony. O monarch! King Bharata here performed sacrificial rites. To
celebrate the horse-sacrifice, he here set free the horse who was the
intended victim. That monarch had won the sovereignty of the earth by
righteousness. The horse? he let go more than once were of a colour
checkered with black. O tiger among men! it was here that Marutta
sheltered by Samvartta, leader of saints, succeeded in performing
excellent sacrifices. O sovereign of kings! Having taken his bath at this
spot, one can behold all the worlds, and is purified from his evil deeds.
Do thou, therefore, bathe at this spot.’”
Vaisampayana said, “Then that most praiseworthy of Pandu’s sons, there
bathed with his brothers, while the mighty saints were uttering laudatory
words to him. And he addressed the following words to Lomasa, ‘O thou
whose strength lieth in truthfulness! By virtue of this pious act, I
behold all the worlds. And from this place, I behold that most
praiseworthy of Pandu’s sons Arjuna, the rider of white steed.”
‘Lomasa said, ‘It is even so, O thou of powerful arms! The saints of the
highest order thus behold all the regions. Behold this holy Saraswati
here, thronged by persons who look upon her as their sole refuge. O most
praise worthy of men! having bathed here, thou wilt be free from all thy
sins. O Kunti’s son! here the celestial saints performed sacrificial
rites of Saraswata king: and so did the saints and the royal saints. This
is the altar of the lord of beings, five yojanas in extent on all sides
round. And this is the field of the magnanimous Kurus, whose habit it was
to perform sacrifices.’”