the gods, one obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice. There existeth
a rare tirtha called Isanadhyushita, lying from the ant-hill at the
distance of six throws of a heavy stick. As seen in the Puranas, O tiger
among men, bathing there a man obtaineth the merit of giving away a
thousand Kapila kine and of the horse-sacrifice. Journeying next, O
foremost of men, to Sugandha, and Satakumbha and Panchayaksha, a man
becometh adored in heaven. Repairing to another tirtha there called
Trisulakhata, one should bathe and set himself to worship the Pitris and
the gods. Doing so, without doubt, one obtaineth, after death, the status
of Ganapatya. One should next proceed, O king, to the excellent spot of
the Goddess celebrated over the three worlds by the name of Sakamvari.
There, for the space of a thousand celestial years, she of excellent
vows, month after month, had subsisted upon herbs, O king of men! And
attracted by their reverence for the Goddess, many Rishis with wealth of
asceticism, came thither, O Bharata. and were entertained by her with
herbs. And it is for this that they bestowed on her the name of
Sakamvari. O Bharata, the man who arriveth at Sakamvari, with rapt
attention and leading a Brahmacharya mode of life and passeth three
nights there in purity and subsisting on herbs alone, obtaineth, at the
will of the goddess, the merit of him that liveth upon herbs for twelve
years. Then should one proceed to the tirtha called Suvarna, famed
through the three worlds. There in days of old, Vishnu had paid his
adorations to Rudra, for his grace, and obtaineth also many boons
difficult of acquisition even by the gods. And, O Bharata, the gratified
destroyer of Tripura said, 'O Krishna, thou shalt, without doubt, be much
beloved in the world, and the foremost of everything in the universe.'
Repairing thither, O king, and worshipping the deity having the bull for
his mark, one obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice as also the
status of Ganapatya. One should next proceed to the tirtha of Dhumavati.
Fasting there for three nights, one obtaineth, without doubt, all the
wishes cherished by him. To the southern half of this spot of the
Goddess, there is, O king, a tirtha called Rathavarta. One should, O
virtuous one, go up to that place, with devout heart, and having his
senses under control. By this, through the grace of Mahadeva, one
attaineth to an exalted state. After walking round the place, one should,
O bull of the