us one, proceed to the excellent tirtha called Bhartristhana,
where, O king, ever dwells the celestial generalissimo Kartikeya. By a
journey only to that spot, a person, O foremost of kings, attaineth to
success. Bathing next at the tirtha called Koti, one earneth the merit of
giving away a thousand kine. Having walked round Koti, one should proceed
next to Jyeshthasthana. Beholding Mahadeva who is there, one shineth like
the moon. There, O mighty monarch, is a celebrated well. O bull of the
Bharata race! There in that well, O foremost of warriors, are the four
seas. He that bathes there, O foremost of kings, and with subdued soul
worships the gods and the Pitris, is cleansed of all his sins and
attaineth to an exalted state. Then, O mighty king, should one proceed to
the great Sringaverapura, where, O foremost of kings, formerly Rama,
Dasharatha's son, had crossed (the Ganga). Bathing in that tirtha, one, O
mighty-armed one, is cleansed of all his sins. Bathing with subdued
senses and leading a Brahmacharya mode of life, in the Ganga, one is
cleansed of every sin, and obtains also the merit of the Vajapeya
sacrifice. One should next proceed to the place called Mayuravata,
consecrated to Mahadeva of high intelligence. Beholding there the god,
bowing down to him and walking round the spot, one acquireth, O Bharata,
the Ganapatya status. Bathing in Ganga at that tirtha, one is cleansed of
all his sins. Then, O king, should one proceed to Prayaga, whose praises
have been sung by Rishis and where dwell the gods with Brahma at their
head, the Directions with their presiding deities, the Lokapalas, the
Siddhas, the Pitris adored by the worlds, the great Rishis-Sanatkumara
and others, stainless Brahmarshis--Angiras and others,--the Nagas, the
Suparnas, the Siddhas, the Snakes, the Rivers, the Seas, the Gandharvas,
the Apsaras, and the Lord Hari with Prajapati. There in that tirtha are
three fiery caverns between which the Ganga, that foremost of tirthas,
rolleth rapidly. There in that region also the world-purifying daughter
of the sun, Yamuna, celebrated over the three worlds, uniteth with the
Ganga. The country between the Ganga and the Yamuna is regarded as the
mons veneris of the world, and Prayaga as the foremost point of that
region. The tirthas Prayaga, Pratisthana, Kamvala, Aswatara and Bhogavati
are the sacrificial platforms of the Creator. There in those places, O
foremost of warriors, the Vedas and the Sacrifices, in e