"Pulastya said, 'One should next proceed, O king, to the adored
Kurukshetra at sight of which all creatures are freed from their sins. He
is freed from all sins who constantly sayeth, 'I will live in
Kurukshetra.' The very dust of Kurukshetra, conveyed by the wind, leadeth
a sinful man to a blessed course (in after-life). They that dwell in
Kurukshetra which lieth to the south of the Saraswati and the north of
the Drishadwati, are said to dwell in heaven. O hero, one should reside
there, O thou foremost of warriors, for a month. There, O lord of earth,
the gods with Brahma at their head, the Rishis, the Siddhas, the
Charanas, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, the Yakshas and the Nagas, often
repair, O Bharata, to the highly sacred Brahmakshetra. O foremost of
warriors, the sins of one that desireth to repair to Kurukshetra even
mentally are all destroyed, and he finally goeth into the region of
Brahma. O son of the Kuru race, by repairing to Kurukshetra in a pious
frame of mind, one obtaineth the fruit of the Rajasuya and horse
sacrifices. By saluting next the Yaksha called Mankanaka, that mighty
gate-keeper (of Kuvera), cue obtaineth the fruit of giving away a
thousand kine. O virtuous king, one should next repair to the excellent
region of Vishnu, where Hari is always present. Bathing there and bowing
down unto Hari, the Creator of the three worlds, one obtaineth the fruit
of the horse-sacrifice and repaireth to the abode of Vishnu. One should
next repair to Pariplava, that tirtha celebrated over the three worlds,
and (bathing there), O Bharata, one obtaineth merit that is greater than
that of the Agnishtoma and the Atiratra sacrifices. Repairing next to the
tirtha called Prithivi, one obtaineth the fruit of the gift of a thousand
kine. The pilgrim should next, O king, proceed to Shalukini and bathing
there in the Dasaswamedha one obtaineth the merit of ten
horse-sacrifices. Proceeding next to Sarpadevi, that excellent tirtha of
the Nagas, one obtaineth the merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice and
attaineth to the region of the Nagas. O virtuous one, one should next
proceed to Tarantuka, the gatekeeper, and residing there for one night
one obtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand kine. Proceeding next
with subdued senses and regulated diet to Panchananda and bathing in the
tirtha there, called Koti, one obtaineth the fruit of the
horse-sacrifice. Proceeding then to the tirtha of the twin Aswins one
obtaineth personal beau