Part 25

"'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), he 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 resorted 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 _Salisurya_, 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,