Tirthayatra Parva — Dhaumya's description of Tirtha

Dhaumya said : O foremost of men, I shall (now) describe those Tirthas and sacred spots that lie in the northern country. O lord, hear of them with all attention. O hero, hearing this narrative one obtains reverence which does him much good.

O son of Pandu, here flows the greatly sacred Sarasvati abounding in Tirthas and banks, easy of ascent. Here also flows the ocean going and impetuous Yamuna.

And here is also the very sacred and auspicious Tirtha called Plakshavatarana where the Brahmanas after performing the Sarasvati sacrifice made their ablutions.

O sinless one, O descendant of Bharata, here is also the celebrated celestials and auspicious Tirtha called Agnisshira, where Sahadeva performed a sacrifice by measuring out the ground by a throw of Shamya.

O Yudhishthira, it is for this reason Indra sang the praises (of Sahadeva) in a verse which is still current in the world and sung by the Brahmanas.

O foremost of the Kurus, on the Yamuna, Agni was worshipped by Sahadeva when Dakshinas (gifts) in hundreds and thousands were made.

Here the greatly illustrious king, the emperor Bharata performed thirty five horse-sacrifices.

O child, we have heard that Sharabhanga who in the days of yore used to gratify much the Brahmanas, had his sacred and celebrated hermitage here.

O son of Pritha, O great king, here is also the river Sarasvati which is ever worshipped by the pious and (on the bank of which) the Balkhilayas performed sacrifices in the days of yore.

O Yudhishthira, O foremost of men, here is also the highly sacred and greatly famous Drishadvati. Here are Nyagrodhya, Panchalya, Punya, Dalbhayaghosa and Dalbhya which are the sacred hermitage on earth of the illustrious Anantasas of excellent vows and great energy and which are all celebrated over the three worlds.

O ruler of men, here also the celebrated Etavarna and Avavarna.

Learned in the Vedas, versed in the Vedic lore and proficient in Vedic rites, O best of the Bharata race, performed many sacred and best sacrifices.

Here is also Vishakhayupa to which in the days of yore came the celestials with Indra and Varuna and practised asceticism; and thus it became so sacred.

Here also is the sacred and charming Palasaka where the greatly exalted, the highly illustrious great Rishi lord Jamadagni performed sacrifices.

Here all the chief rivers in their embodied forms, taking their respective waters, stood round that foremost of Rishis.

O great king, O hero, here also Vibhavasu (fire) himself, going there and seeing that highsouled Rishis' initiation, recited the following sloka.

"When the illustrious Jamadagni was worshipping the celestials, the rivers, coming to the Brahmanas, offered them honey."

O Yudhishthira, the spot where the Ganga rushes onward clearing that foremost of mountains (the Himalayas) frequented by the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Rakshasas, the Apsaras and inhabited by the Kiratas and the Kinnaras is called Gangadvara. O king this spot frequented by the celestials Rishis is considered very sacred.

O descendant of Kuru, by Sanatkumar, as also the sacred Kankhala. Here is also the mountain called Puru on which was born Pururava,

And where Bhrigu practised his austerities. O king that hermitage has thus become known by the name of mountain Bhrigutunga.

O best of Bharata race, here is the sacred and extensive Badari, celebrated all over the worlds, which is the highly holy hermitage of him who is the Present, the Past and the Future, who is called Narayana, the lord Vishnu, who is eternal and who is the foremost of Purushas.

O king, near Badari the cool waters of Ganga were formerly hot and her banks were over-spread with sands of gold.

Here the greatly exalted and highly effulgent Rishis and the celestials come daily to worship the deity, the lord Vishnu. The whole universe, with all its Tirthas and sacred places is there where dwells the deity Narayana, the eternal Supreme soul.

He is virtue, he is the supreme Brahma, he is the Tirtha, he is the ascetic retreat, he is the first, he is the foremost of gods, he is the great lord of all creatures.

He is the great creator, he is the highest state. By knowing him, learned men versed in the Shastras never meet with grief. The celestials Rishis, the Siddhas, may all the ascetics live ther.

Where the primeval deity, that Supreme Yogi, the slayer of Madhu lives. O king, let not any doubt come to your mind about the sacredness of that place. O ruler of earth, these are the sacred spots on earth and the Tirthas that I have mentioned to you. O foremost of men, they are all frequented by the Vasus, the Sadhyas, the Adityas, the Marutas, the Ashvins and the high-souled. Celestialss like Rishis. O son of Kunti, visit all these (Tirthas) with the Brahmanas and with your greatly exalted brothers and thus be relieved from all anxiety.