SECTION XXV "Yudhishthira said, 'It has been said that sojourns to sacred waters as fraught with erit!

that ab"utions in such waters is eritorious! and that "istening to the e#ce""ence of such waters is a"so eritorious$ I desire to hear thee e#%atiate on this subject, O grandsire$ It beho&eth thee, O chief of 'harata's race, to ention to e the sacred waters that e#ist on this earth$ I desire, O thou of great %uissance, to hear thee discourse on this to%ic$' "'hish a said, 'O thou of great s%"endour, the fo""owing enu eration of the sacred waters on the Earth was ade b( )ngiras$ '"essed be thou, it beho&eth thee to "isten to it for thou sha"t then earn great erit$ Once on a ti e, *auta a of rigid &ows, a%%roaching the great and "earned +ishi )ngiras endued with tran,ui""it( of sou", whi"e he was dwe""ing in a forest, ,uestioned hi , sa(ing,--O i""ustrious one, I ha&e so e doubts regarding the erits attaching to sacred waters and shrines$ So I desire to hear thee discourse on that to%ic$ .o thou, therefore, O ascetic, discourse to e$ /hat erits are earned b( a %erson in res%ect of the ne#t wor"d, b( bathing in the sacred waters on the Earth, O thou of great wisdo 0 .o thou e#%ound to e this tru"( and according to the ordinance$' ")ngiras said, ') %erson b( bathing for se&en da(s in succession in the Chandrabhaga or the Vitasta whose waters are a"wa(s seen to dance in wa&es, obser&ing a fast the whi"e, is sure to beco e c"eansed of a"" his sins %$ 123 and endued with the erit of an ascetic$ 1 The &er( an( ri&ers that f"owing through 4as ira, fa"" into the great ri&er ca""ed Sindhu 5Indus6$ '( bathing in these ri&ers one is sure to beco e endued with good character and to ascend to hea&en after de%arting fro this wor"d$ '( bathing in 7ush8ara, and 7rabhasa, and Nai isha, and the ocean, and .e&i8a, and Indra arga, and Swarna&indu, one is sure to ascend to hea&en being seated on a ce"estia" car, and fi""ed with trans%orts of jo( at the adorations of )%sara$ '( %"unging in the waters of 9iran(a&indu with a concentrated ind and re&erencing that sacred strea , and bathing ne#t at 4usesa(a and .e&endra, one beco es c"eansed of a"" one's sins$ +e%airing to Indrato(a in the &icinit( of the ountains of *andha adana and ne#t to 4arato(a in the countr( ca""ed 4uranga, one shou"d obser&e a fast for three da(s and then bathe in those sacred waters with a concentrated heart and %ure bod($ '( doing this, one is sure to ac,uire the erit of a 9orse-sacrifice$ 'athing in *angadwara and 4usa&arta and Vi"wa8a in the Nita ountains, as a"so in 4an8ha"a, one is sure to beco e c"eansed of a"" one's sins and then ascend to hea&en$ If one beco es a 'rah acharin and subdues one's wrath, de&otes onese"f to truth and %ractises co %assion towards a"" creatures, and then bathes in the :a"a %arda 5;a8e of /aters6, one is sure to ac,uire the erit of a 9orse-sacrifice$ That %art where 'hagirathi-*anga f"ows in a northward direction is 8nown as the union of hea&en, earth, and the nether regions$ Obser&ing a fast for one onth and bathing in that sacred Tirtha which is 8nown to be acce%tab"e to <aheswara, one beco es co %etent to beho"d the deities$ One who gi&es ob"ations of water unto one's 7itris at Sa%taganga and Triganga and Indra arga, obtains a brosia for

food, if one has sti"" to undergo rebirth$ The an who in a %ure state of bod( and ind attends to his dai"( )gnihotra and obser&es a fast for one onth and then baths in <ahasra a, is sure to attain success in one onth$ '( bathing, after a fast of three da(s and %urif(ing the ind of a"" e&i" %assions, in the "arge "a8e of 'hrigu 4unda, one beco es c"eansed of e&en the sin of 'rah anicide$ '( bathing in 4an(a8u%a and %erfor ing one's ab"utions in Va"a8a, one ac,uires great fa e a ong e&en the deities and shines in g"or($ 'athing in .e&i8a and the "a8e 8nown b( the na e of Sundari8a as a"so in the Tirtha ca""ed )swini, one ac,uires, in one's ne#t "ife, great beaut( of for $ '( fasting for a fortnight and bathing in <ahaganga and 4ritti8angara8a, one beco es c"eansed of a"" one's sins and ascends to hea&en$ 'athing in Vai ani8a and 4in8ini8a, one ac,uires the %ower of re%airing e&er(where at wi"" and beco es an object of great res%ect in the ce"estia" region of the )%saras$ = If a %erson, subduing his wrath and obser&ing the &ow of 'rah achar((a for three da(s, bathes in the ri&er Vi%asa at the retreat ca""ed 4a"i8a, he is sure to succeed in transcending the ob"igation of %$ 121 rebirth$ 'athing in the as("u that is sacred to the 4ritta8as and offering ob"ations of water to the 7itris, and then gratif(ing <ahade&a, one beco es %ure in bod( and ind and ascends to hea&en$ If one, obser&ing a fast for three da(s with a %urified bod( and ind, bathes in <aha%ura, one beco es freed fro the fear of a"" obi"e and i obi"e ani a"s as a"so of a"" ani a"s ha&ing two feet$ '( bathing in the .e&adaru forest and offering ob"ations of water to the 7itris and dwe""ing there for se&en nights with a %ure bod( and ind, one attains to the region of the deities on de%arting fro this wor"d$ 'athing in the waterfa""s at Sarasta &a and 4usasta bha and .ronasar a%ada, one is sure to attain to the region of the )%saras where one is waited u%on with dutifu" ser&ices b( those su%erhu an beings$ If one, obser&ing a fast, bathes at Chitra8uta and :anasthana and the waters of <anda8ini, one is sure to be united with %ros%erit( that is ro(a"$ 1 '( re%airing to the retreat that is 8nown b( the na e of Sa (a and residing there for a fortnight and bathing in the sacred water that e#ists there, one ac,uires the %ower of disa%%earing at wi"" 5and enjo( the ha%%iness that has been ordained for the *andhar&as6$ +e%airing to the tirtha 8nown b( the na e of 4ausi8i and residing there with a %ure heart and abstaining fro a"" food and drin8 for three da(s, one ac,uires the %ower of dwe""ing 5in one's ne#t "ife6 in the ha%%( region of the *andhar&as$ 'athing in the de"ightfu" tirtha that goes b( the na e of *andhatara8a and residing there for one onth, abstaining a"" the whi"e fro food and drin8, one ac,uires the %ower of disa%%earing at %"easure and, then one and twent( da(s, of ascending to hea&en$ 9e that bathes in the "a8e 8nown b( the na e of <atanga is sure to attain to success in one night$ 9e that bathes in )na"a &a or in eterna" )ndha8a, or in Nai isha, or the tirtha ca""ed Swarga, and offers ob"ations of water to the 7itris, subduing his senses the whi"e, ac,uires the <erit of a hu an sacrifice$ = 'athing in *anga hrada and the tirtha 8nown b( the na e of >t%a"a&ana and dai"( offering ob"ations of water there for a fu"" onth to the 7itris, one ac,uires the erit of a 9orse-sacrifice$ 'athing in the conf"uence of the *anga and the Ya una as a"so at the tirtha in the 4a"anjara ountains and offering e&er( da( ob"ations of water to the 7itris for a fu"" onth, one ac,uires the erit that attaches to ten 9orse-sacrifices$ 'athing in the Shashthi "a8e one ac,uires erit uch greater than what is attached to the gift of

food$ Ten thousand tirthas and thirst( i""ions of other tirthas co e to 7ra(aga 5the conf"uence of *anga and Ya una6, O chief of 'harata's race in the onth of <agha$ 9e who bathes in 7ra(aga, with a restrained sou" and obser&ing rigid &ows the whi"e, in the onth of <agha, beco es c"eansed of a"" his sins, O chief of 'harata's race, and attains to hea&en$ 'athing in the tirtha that is sacred to the <aruts, as a"so in that which is situate in the retreat of the 7itris, and a"so in that %$ 12= which is 8nown b( the na e of Vai&aswata, one beco es c"eansed of a"" one's sins and beco es as %ure and sanctified as a tirtha$ +e%airing to 'rah asaras as a"so to the 'hagirathi and bathing there and offering ob"ations to the 7itris e&er( da( for a fu"" onth, abstaining fro food a"" the whi"e, one is sure to attain to the region of So a, 'athing in >t%ata8a and then in )shta&a8ra and offering ob"ations of water to the 7itris e&er( da( for twe"&e da(s in succession, abstaining the whi"e fro food, one ac,uires the erits of a 9orse-sacrifice$ 'athing in )s a%rishtha and Nira&inda ountains and 4rauncha%adi,--a"" three in *a(a--one beco es c"eansed of the sin of 'rah anicide$ ) bath in the first %"ace c"eanses one of a sing"e 'rah anicide! a bath in the second c"eanses one of two offences of that character! and a bath in the third c"eanses one of three such offences$ 'athing in 4a"a&inga, one ac,uires a "arge ,uantit( of water 5for use in the ne#t wor"d6$ ) an, b( bathing in the cit( of )gni, ac,uires such erit as entit"es hi to "i&e during his ne#t birth in the cit( of )gni's daughter$ 'athing in Visa"a in 4ara&ira%ura and offering ob"ations of water unto one's 7itris, and %erfor ing one's ab"utions in .e&ahrada too, one beco es identified with 'rah a and shines in g"or( as such$ 'athing in 7unara&arta-nanda as a"so <ahananda, a an of restrained senses and uni&ersa" co %assion re%airs to the ce"estia" gardens ca""ed Nandana of Indra and is waited u%on there b( )%saras of di&erse tribes$ 'athing with concentrated sou" in the tirtha that is ca""ed after the na e of >r&asi and that is situate in the ri&er ;ohit(a, on the da( of fu"" oon of the onth of 4arti8a, one attains to the erits that attach to the sacrifice ca""ed 7undari8a$ 'athing in +a ahrada and offering ob"ations of water to the 7itris in the ri&er Vi%asa 5'eas6, and obser&ing a fast for twe"&e da(s, one beco es c"eansed of a"" sins$ 'athing in the tirtha ca""ed <aha-hrada with a %urified heart and after obser&ing a fast for one onth, one is sure to attain to the end which was the sage :a adagni's$ '( e#%osing onese"f to heat in the tirtha ca""ed Vindh(a, a %erson de&oted to truth and endued with co %assion for a"" creatures shou"d then beta8e hi se"f to austere %enances, actuated b( hu i"it($ '( so doing, he is sure to attain to ascetic success in course of a sing"e onth$ 'athing in the Nar ada as a"so in the tirtha 8nown b( the na e of Sur%ara8a, obser&ing a fast for a fu"" fortnight, one is sure to beco e in one's ne#t birth a %rince of the ro(a" "ine$ If one %roceeds with restrained senses and a concentrated sou" to the tirtha 8nown under the na e of :a &u arga, one is sure to attain to success in course of a sing"e da( and night$ '( re%airing to Chanda"i8asra a and bathing in the tirtha ca""ed 4o8a u8ha, ha&ing subsisted for so eti e on %otherbs a"one and worn rags for &est ents, one is sure to obtain ten aidens of great beaut( for one's s%ouses$ One who "i&es b( the side of the tirtha 8nown b( the na e of 4an(a-hrada has ne&er to go to the regions of Ya a$ Such a %erson is sure to ascend to the regions of fe"icit( that be"ong to the ce"estia"s$ One who bathes with restrained senses on the da( of the new oon in

the tirtha 8nown b( the na e of 7rabhasa, is sure, O thou of attaining to %$ 122

ight( ar s, of at once

success and i orta"it($ 'athing in the tirtha 8nown b( the na e of >jjana8a which occurs in the retreat of )rshtisena's son, and ne#t in the tirtha that is situate in the retreat of 7inga, one is sure to be c"eansed of a"" one's sins$ Obser&ing a fast for three da(s and bathing in the tirtha 8nown as 4u"(a and reciting the sacred antras that go b( the na e of )gha arshana, one attains the erit of a horse-sacrifice$ Obser&ing a fast for one night and bathing in 7indara8a, one beco es %urified on the dawn of the ne#t da( and attains to the erit of an )gnishto a sacrifice$ One who re%airs to 'rah asara which is adorned b( the woods ca""ed .har aran(a, beco es c"eansed of a"" one's sins and attains to the erit of the 7undari8a sacrifice$ 'athing in the waters of the <aina8a ountain and sa(ing one's orning and e&ening %ra(ers there and "i&ing at the s%ot for a onth, restraining desire, one attains to the erit of a"" the sacrifices$ Setting out for 4a"o"a8a and Nandi8unda and >ttara- anasa, and reaching a s%ot that is hundred (ojanas re ote fro an( of the , one beco es c"eansed of the sin of foeticide, One who succeeds in obtaining a sight of i age of Nandiswara, beco es c"eansed of a"" sins$ 'athing in the tirtha ca""ed Swarga arga one is sure to %roceed to the regions of 'rah an$ The ce"ebrated 9i a&at is sacred$ That %rince of ountains is the father-in-"aw of San8ara$ 9e is a ine of a"" jewe"s and ge s and is the resort of the Siddhas and Charanas$ That regenerate %erson who is fu""( con&ersant with the Vedas and who, regarding this "ife to be e#ceeding"( unstab"e, casts off his bod( on those ountains, abstaining fro a"" food and drin8 in accordance with the rites "aid down in the scri%tures, after ha&ing adored the deities and bent his head in worshi% of the ascetics, is sure to attain to success and %roceed to the eterna" regions of 'rah an$ There is nothing unattainab"e to hi who resides in a tirtha, restraining "ust and subjugating wrath, in conse,uence of such residence$ ?or the %ur%ose of re%airing to a"" the tirthas in the wor"d, one shou"d enta""( thin8 of those a ongst the that are a" ost inaccessib"e or sojourns to which are attended with insur ountab"e difficu"ties$ Sojourns to tirthas is %roducti&e of the erits of sacrifices$ The( are co %etent to c"eanse e&er(bod( of sin$ ?raught with great e#ce""ence, the( are ca%ab"e of "eading to hea&en$ The subject is tru"( a great (ster($ The &er( deities shou"d bathe in tirthas$ To the a"so the( are sin-c"eansing$ This discourse on tirthas shou"d be i %arted to 'rah anas, and to such honest or righteous %ersons as are bent u%on achie&ing what is for their own good$ It shou"d a"so be recited in the hearing of one's we""-wishers and friends and of one's obedient and de&oted disci%"es$ )ngiras %ossessed of great ascetic erit, had i %arted this discourse to *auta a$ )ngiras hi se"f had obtained it fro 4as(a%a of great inte""igence$ The great +ishi regard this discourse as worth( of constant re%etition$ It is the fore ost of a"" c"eansing things$ If one recites it regu"ar"( e&er( da(, one is sure to beco e c"eansed of e&er( sin and to %roceed to hea&en after the ter ination of this "ife$ One who "istens to this discourse recited in his hearing,--this discourse, &i@$, of )ngiras, that is regarded as a (ster(,--is sure to attain in one's ne#t "ife to be born in %$ 12A

a good fa i"( and, what is %re&ious e#istence$'"

ore, one wou"d beco e endued with the

e or( of one's