to attain everything here and hereafter. And, without
doubt, they shall all attain to the Saraswata region in the end.' Having
said this, Mahadeva disappeared then and there.

"After visiting Saraswata, one should proceed to Ausanasa celebrated over
the three worlds. There, O Bharata, the gods with Brahma at their head,
and Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism, and the illustrious
Kartikeya, were ever present during two twilights and the mid-day,
impelled by the desire of doing good to Bhargava. There in that tirtha is
another called Kapalamochana, which cleanseth from every sin. O tiger
among men, bathing there one is cleansed from every sin. One should then
proceed to the tirtha called Agni. Bathing there, O bull among men, one
obtaineth the regions of agni and raiseth his own race (from lower
regions). There in that tirtha is another, O chief of the Bharatas, that
belongeth to Viswamitra. Bathing there, O best of men, one obtaineth the
status of a Brahmana. Proceeding next to Brahmayoni in purity of body and
with subdued soul, one obtaineth, O tiger among men, by bathing there,
the abode of Brahma, and sanctifieth, without doubt, his own race to the
seventh generation up and down. One should next proceed, O king, to the
tirtha celebrated over the three worlds, which is called Prithudaka,
belonging to Kartikeya. One should bathe there and occupy oneself in the
worship of the Pitris and the gods. Whatever evil hath been committed,
knowingly or unknowingly, by man or woman, impelled by human motives, is
all destroyed, O Bharata, by a bath in that tirtha. Bathing there one
obtaineth, too, the merit of the horse-sacrifice and heaven also. The
learned have said that Kurukshetra is holy; that holier than Kurukshetra
is the Saraswati; that holier than the Saraswati are all the tirthas
together, and that holier than all the tirthas together is Prithudaka. He
that engaged in the recitation of prayers casteth off his body at
Prithudaka, which is the best of all tirthas, becometh an immortal. It
hath been sung by Sanatkumara and by the high-souled Vyasa, and it is in
the Vedas also, that one should, O king, go to Prithudaka, with subdued
soul. O son of Kuru race, there is no tirtha which is superior to
Prithudaka. Without doubt, that tirtha is purifying, holy and
sin-destroying. O best of men, it hath been said by learned persons that
men, however sinful, by bathing in Prithudaka, go to heaven. O best of
the Bharatas, there in