that tirtha is another called Madhusrava. Bathing
there, O king, one obtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand kine.
One should then proceed, O king, to that celebrated and sacred tirtha
where the Saraswati uniteth with the Aruna. One that batheth there,
having fasted for three nights, is cleansed of even the sin of slaying a
Brahmana, and obtaineth also merit that is superior to that of either the
Agnishtoma or Atiratra sacrifice, and rescueth his race to the seventh
generation up and down. There in that tirtha is another, O perpetuator of
the Kuru race, that is called Ardhakila. From compassion for the
Brahmanas, that tirtha was made by Darbhi in days of old. Without doubt,
by vows, by investiture of the sacred, by fasts, by rites and by Mantras,
one becometh a Brahmana. O bull among men, it hath been seen, however, by
learned persons of old that even one destitute of rites and Mantras, by
only bathing in that tirtha becometh learned and endued with the merit of
vows. Darbhi had also brought hither the four oceans. O best of men, one
that batheth here, never meeteth with distress hereafter and obtaineth
also the merit of giving away four thousand kine. One should next repair,
O virtuous one, to the tirtha called Satasahasraka. Near to this is
another called Sahasraka. Both are celebrated, and one that batheth in
them, obtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand kine. Fasts and gifts
there multiply a thousandfold. One should next proceed, O king, to the
excellent tirtha called Renuka. One should bathe there and worship the
Pitris and the gods. By this, cleansed from every sin, he obtaineth the
merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. Bathing next in the tirtha called
Vimochana with passions and senses under control, one is cleansed from
all the sins generated by the acceptance of gifts. With senses under
control and practising the Brahmacharya mode of life, one should next
repair to the woods of Panchavati. By a sojourn thither, one earneth much
virtue and becometh adored in the regions of the virtuous. One should
next go to the tirtha of Varuna called Taijasa, blazing in effulgence of
its own. There in that tirtha is the lord of Yoga, Sthanu himself, having
for his vehicle the bull. He that sojourneth there, obtaineth success by
worshipping the god of gods. It was there that the gods with Brahma at
their head and Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism, installed Guha as
the generalissimo of the celestials. To the east