Gadayuddha Parva — The history of the Tirthas Vinashana, Gargashrota, Shakuha, Subhumika

Vaishampayana said "Then Baladeva, O king, went to Vinashana where the Sarasvati has disappeared out of view in consequence of her hatred for Shudras and Abhiras.

And because the Sarasvati, on account of this contempt, is lost there Rishis, O chief of the Bharatas, always name the place as Vinashana.

Having bathed in that tirtha of the Sarasvati, the powerful Baladeva then went to Subhumika situate on the excellent bank of the same river.

There many fair-complexioned and beautiful-faced. Apsaras are always engaged in innocent pastimes.

The celestials and the Gandharvas, every month, O king, go to that sacred shrine which is the resort of Brahman himself.

The Gandharvas and various clans of Apsaras are to be seen there, O king, passing their days happily.

There the celestials and departed manes in the midst of the showers of sacred and auspicious flowers sport in joy.

There all the creepers are covered with flowers. And because, O king, that spot is the beautiful sporting ground of those Apsaras, therefore is that shrine on the charming bank of the Sarasvati is called Subhumika.

Baladeva of Madhu's race, having bathed in that tirtha and distributed immense riches amongst the Brahmanas, heard the sound of those celestial songs and musical instruments.

He also saw there many shadows of gods, Gandharvas and Rakshasas. The son of Rohini then proceeded to the tirtha of the Gandharvas.

There many Gandharvas, headed by Vishvavasu and possessed of ascetic merit, pass their time in dance and singing many sweet songs.

Giving away various kinds of riches to the Brahmanas, as also goat and sheep and kine and mules and camels and gold and silver.

And feeding many Brahmanas and satisfying them with many rich gifts as desired by them, Baladeva, of Madhu's race, left that place accompanied by many Brahmanas and praised by them.

Leaving that tirtha the favourite haunt of the Gandharvas, that mighty-armed chastiser of foes, having but one ear-ring, then went to the famous tirtha called Gargashrota.

There, in that sacred tirtha of the Sarasvati, the illustrious and old Garga, having a soul cleansed by ascetic penances, O Janamejaya, had mastered the knowledge of time and its course, of the deviations of luminous bodies (in the sky) and of all auspicious and inauspicious portents.

That tirtha was called after his name Gargashrota. There, ( king, highly blessed Rishis of firm vows always waited upon Garga, O lord, for acquiring a knowledge of time.

Besmeared with white sandal-paste O king, Baladeva, going to that tirtha, duly distributed wealth amongst many ascetics of pure souls.

Having distributed also many sorts of rich food amongst the Brahmanas, that illustrious one, clad in blue robes, then went to the tirtha called Shankha.

There, on the bank of the Sarasvati that powerful palmyra-emblemed hero beheld a gigantic tree called Mahashankha, tall as Meru, looking like the white-mountain and resorted to by many Rishis.

There dwell Yakshas and Vidyadharas and Rakshasas of great energy and Pishachas of incomparable might and Siddhas, in thousands.

Desisting from other kinds of food, all of them observe vows and regulations and take at the proper time the fruits of that king of the forest for their sustenance and rove separately unseen by men, O foremost of men. That monarch of the forest, O king, is celebrated throughout the world.

That tree is the cause of this tirtha. Having given away many milch cows, vessels of copper and iron and diverse sorts of other vessels, that foremost Yadu's race, viz., Baladeva, having the plough for his weapon, worshipped the Brahmanas and was adored by them in return. He then, O king, went to the Dvaita lake.

Arrived there, Vala saw various ascetics dressed diversely. Bathing in its waters, he adored the Brahmanas.

Having distributed profusely amongst the Brahmanas various articles of enjoyment Baladeva then, O king, went on along the southern bank of the Sarasvati.

The mighty-armed and illustrious Rama, of pure soul and unmitigated glory, then proceeded to the tirtha called Nagadhanvana.

Abounding with snakes, O king, it was the abode of the highly effulgent Vasuki, the king of serpents. There four and then ten thousand Rishis also lived permanently.

Having come there in days of yore the celestials had, according to due rites, installed the great snake Vasuki as king of all the snakes. There is no fear of snakes in that place Oyou of Kuru's race.

Duly distributing many valuable articles there amongst the Brahmanas Baladeva then set out with face towards the east and reached, one after another, hundreds and thousands of celebrated tirthas situated all around.

Bathing in all those tirthas and observing fasts and other vows as sanctioned by the Rishis and given away immense riches and saluting all the ascetics who lived there, Baladeva once more set out, along the way pointed out to him by those ascetics for reaching that spot where the Sarasvati turns in an eastward direction like torrents of rain bent by the velocity of the storm. The river took that course for seeing the great Rishis dwelling in the forest of Naimisha.

Always smeared with white sandal-paste, Vala, having the plough for his weapon, seeing that great river change her course, was O king, filled with wonder.

Janamejaya said "Why O Brahmana, did the Sarasvati bend her course there towards the east. O best of Adhvaryus, you should tell me everything regarding this.

Why was that delighter of the Yadus filled with wonder? Why, indeed did that best of rivers thus change her course."

Vaishampayana said "Formerly, in the Satya Yuga, O king, the ascetics living in Naimisha were engaged in a great sacrifice extending for twelve years.

Many Rishis, O king, came to that sacrifice. Passing their time according to proper rites, in the celebration of that sacrifice, those great Rishis, after the termination of that twelve year's sacrifice at Naimisha, set out in large numbers for seeing the various sacred shrines.

On account of the number of the Rishis, O king, the tirthas on the southern banks of the Sarasvati all looked like towns and cities.

Those foremost of Brahmanas, O foremost of men, being anxious to enjoy the merits of tirthas, took up thcir abodes on the bank of the river up to Samantapanchaka.

The whole region was as if filled with loud Vedic recitations of those Rishis of pure souls, all engaged in pouring libations of sacrificial fires.

That best of rivers shone highly beautiful with those burning homa fires all around, over which those great ascetics poured libations of clarified butter.

Valakhilyas and Ashmarkuttas, Dantolukhalinas, Samprakshyanas and other ascetics, as also those living on air and those living on water and those living on dry leaves of trees and various others who practised diverse kinds of vows and those that lived on bare and hard earth, all came to that spot in the vicinity of the Sarasvati. And they rendered that foremost of rivers highly beautiful like the celestials beautifying with their presence the heavenly rivers called Mandakini.

Hundreds of Rishis, all given to the observance of sacrifices, came there. Those observers of great vows could not find sufficient accommodation on the banks of the Sarasvati.

Measuring small plots of land with their sacred threads, they celebrated Agnihotras and other rites.

The river Sarasvati saw, O king, those Rishis filled with despair and anxiety for want of a commodious tirtha wherein to perform their rites.

Accordingly that best of streams came there, having made sufficient accommodation on her bank for those Rishis, out of compassion for them, O Janamejaya.

Having thus, O king, changed her course for their sake, the Sarasvati, that best of rivers, once more flowed in a westerly direction, to make the arrival of the Rishis there successful. O king, the great river accomplished there this wonderful feat.

Thus those reservoirs of water, O king, where formed in Naimisha. There, Kurukshetra, O Kuru chief, do you celebrate grand sacrifices and rites. Beholding those innumerable reservoirs of water and seeing that best of rivers change her course, the highsouled Rama was filled with wonder.

Bathing in those tirthas duly and distributing wealth and various other articles of enjoyment ainongst the Brahmanas, that delighter of Yadu's race also gave away various kinds of food and desirable articles to them. Adored by those Rishis, Vala, O king, left that foremost of all tirthas on the Sarasvati, at (viz., Sapta-Sarasvat). Numerous birds also lived there. And it abounded with Vadari, Inguda, Kacmaryya, Plahsha, Ashvattha, Vibhitaka, Kakkola, Palasha, Karira, Pilu and various other kinds of trees that grow on the banks of the Sarasvati.

And it was adorned with forests of Karushakas, Vilvas Vilvas and Amratakas and Atimuktas and Kashandas and Parijatas.

It abounded with forests of Plantains pleasant to view and most charming. And it was haunted by various ascetics, some living on air, some water, some on fruits, some on leaves, some on raw raise again which they husked with the aid only of stones and some that were called Vaneyas. And it was filled with the chauntings of the Vedas and abounded with diverse kinds of animals.

And it was the favourite abode of men shorn of malice and devoted to righteousness. Baladeva, having the plough for his weapon, arrived at that tirtha, called the Sapta-Sarasvat, where the great ascetic Mankanaka had his penances successfully practised.