Chapter 49

Vaishampayana said, “The mighty chief of the Yadus, having proceeded toIndra’s tirtha, bathed there according to due rites and gave away wealthand gems unto the Brahmanas. There the chief of the celestials hadperformed a hundred horse sacrifices and given away enormous wealth untoBrihaspati. Indeed, through the assistance of Brahmanas conversant withthe Vedas, Shakra performed all those sacrifices there, according torites ordained (in the scriptures). Those sacrifices were such thateverything in them was unstinted. Steeds of all kinds were brought there.The gifts to Brahmanas were profuse. Having duly completed those hundredsacrifices, O chief of the Bharatas, Shakra of great splendour came to becalled by the name of Satakratu. That auspicious and sacred tirtha,capable of cleansing from every sin, thereupon came to be called afterhis name as Indra-tirtha. Having duly bathed there, Baladeva worshippedthe Brahmanas with presents of excellent food and robes. He thenproceeded to that auspicious and foremost of tirthas called after thename of Rama. The highly blessed Rama of Bhrigu’s race, endued with greatascetic merit, repeatedly subjugated the Earth and slew all the foremostof Kshatriyas. (After achieving such feats) Rama performed in that tirthaa Vajapeya sacrifice and a hundred horse sacrifices through theassistance of his preceptor Kasyapa, that best of Munis. There, assacrificial fee, Rama gave unto his preceptor the whole earth with heroceans. The great Rama, having duly bathed there, made presents unto theBrahmanas, O Janamejaya, and worshipped them thus. Having made diversepresent consisting of diverse kinds of gems as also kine and elephantsand female slaves and sheep and goats, he then retired into the woods.Having bathed in that sacred and foremost of tirthas that was the resortof gods and regenerate Rishis, Baladeva duly worshipped the asceticsthere, and then proceeded to the tirtha called Yamuna. Endued with greateffulgence, Varuna, the highly blessed son of Aditi, had in days of yoreperformed in that tirtha the Rajasuya sacrifice, O lord of Earth! Havingin battle subjugated both men and celestials and Gandharvas andRakshasas, Varuna, O king, that slayer of hostile heroes, performed hisgrand sacrifice in that tirtha. Upon the commencement of that foremost ofsacrifices, a battle ensued between the gods and the Danavas inspiringthe three worlds with terror. After the completion of that foremost ofsacrifices, the Rajasuya (of Varuna), a terrible battle, O Janamejaya,ensued amongst the Kshatriyas. The ever-liberal and puissant Baladevahaving worshipped the Rishis there, made many presents unto those thatdesired them. Filled with joy and praised by the great Rishis, Baladeva,that hero ever decked with garlands of wild flowers and possessed of eyeslike lotus leaves, then proceeded to the tirtha called Aditya. There, Obest of kings, the adorable Surya of great splendour, having performed asacrifice, obtained the sovereignty of all luminous bodies (in theuniverse) and acquired also his great energy. There, in that tirthasituated on the bank of that river, all the gods with Vasava at theirhead, the Viswedevas, the Maruts, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, theIsland-born (Vyasa), Suka, Krishna the slayer of Madhu, the Yakshas, theRakshasas, and the Pisachas, O king, and diverse others, numbering bythousands, all crowned with ascetic success, always reside. Indeed inthat auspicious and sacred tirtha of the Sarasvati, Vishnu himself,having in days of yore slain the Asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha, had, O chiefof the Bharatas, performed his ablutions. The island-born (Vyasa) also,of virtuous soul, O Bharata, having bathed in that tirtha, obtained greatYoga powers and attained to high success. Endued with great asceticmerit, the Rishi Asita-Devala also, having bathed in that very tirthawith soul rapt in high Yoga meditation, obtained great Yoga powers.”