Chapter 130

“Lomasa said, ‘O son of Bharata’s race! If mortals breathe their last atthis spot, they go to heaven. O king! Thousands upon thousands of mencome to this place to die. A blessing was pronounced on this spot byDaksha, when he was engaged in sacrifice here, (in these words), ‘Thosemen that shall die at this spot shall win a place in heaven.’ Here is thebeautiful and sacred river, Saraswati, full of water: and here, O lord ofmen, is the spot known as Vinasana, or the place where the Saraswatidisappeared. Here is the gate of the kingdom of the Nishadas and it isfrom hatred for them that the Saraswati entered into the earth in orderthat the Nishadas might not see her. Here too is the sacred region ofChamashodbheda where the Saraswati once more became visible to them. Andhere she is joined by other sacred rivers running seawards. O conquerorof foes, here is that sacred spot known by the name of Sindhu–whereLopamudra accepted the great sage Agastya as her lord and, O thou whoseeffulgence is like unto that of the sun, here is the sacred tirtha calledPrabhasa, the favoured spot of Indra and which removeth all sins. Yonderis visible the region of Vishnupada. And here is the delightful andsacred river, Vipasa. From grief for the death of his sons the great sageVasistha had thrown himself into this stream, after binding his limbs.And when he rose from the water, lo! he was unfettered. Look, O king withthy brothers at the sacred region of Kasmeera, frequented by holy sages.Here, O scion of Bharata’s race, is the spot, where a conference tookplace between Agni and the sage Kasyapa, and also between Nahusha’s sonand the sages of the north. And, O great prince, Yonder is the gate ofthe Manasasarovara. In the midst of this mountain, a gap hath been openedby Rama. And here. O prince of prowess incapable of being baffled, is thewell-known region of Vatikhanda, which, although adjacent to the gate ofVideha, lieth on the north of it. And O bull among men, there is anothervery remarkable thing connected with this place,–namely, that on thewaning of every yuga, the god Siva, having the power to assume any shapeat will, may be seen with Uma and his followers. In Yonder lake alsopeople desirous of securing welfare to the family, propitiate withsacrifices the holder of the great bow Pinaka, in the month of Chaitra.And persons of devotion having passions under control, performing theirablutions in this lake, become free from sins and, without doubt, attainto the holy regions. Here is the sacred tirtha called Ujjanaka, where theholy sage Vasistha with his wife Arundhati and also the sage Yavakriobtained tranquillity. Yonder is the lake Kausava, where grown thelotuses called Kausesaya, and here also is the sacred hermitage ofRukmini, where she attained peace, after conquering that evil passion,anger. I think, O prince, that thou hast heard something about that manof meditations, Bhrigutunga. There, O king, before thee is that loftypeak. And, O foremost of kings, yonder is Vitasta, the sacred stream thatabsolveth men from all sins. The water of this stream is extremely cooland limpid, and it is largely used by the great sages. O prince, beholdthe holy rivers Jala and Upajala, on either side of the Yamuna. Byperforming a sacrifice here, king Usinara surpassed in greatness Indrahimself. And, O descendant of Bharata, desirous of testing Usinara’smerit and also of bestowing boons on him, Indra and Agni presentedthemselves at his sacrificial ground. And Indra assuming the shape of ahawk, and Agni that of a pigeon, came up to that king. And the pigeon infear of the hawk, fell upon the king’s thigh, seeking his protection.'”