he Vedas. He that doth not observe vows, he that
hath not his soul under control, he that is impure, he that is a thief,
and he that is of crooked mind, doth not, O Kauravya, bathe in tirthas.
Thou art ever observant of virtue, and art of pure character. By thy
virtue, O virtuous one, thou hast always gratified thy father and thy
grand-father, and great-grand-fathers, and the gods with Brahma at their
head, and the Rishis also, O thou versed in virtue! Thou who resemblest
Vasava, thou wilt, O Bhishma, attain to the region of the Vasus, and also
eternal fame on earth!'

"Narada continued, 'Having cheerfully spoken thus, the illustrious Rishi
Pulastya, well-pleased, bidding Bhishma farewell, disappeared there and
then. And Bhishma also, O tiger among men, well understanding the true
import of the Shastras, wandered over the world at the command of
Pulastya. Thus, O thou blessed one, did Bhishma end at Prayaga his highly
meritorious journey to the tirthas capable of destroying all sins. The
man that ranges the earth in accordance with these injunctions, obtains
the highest fruit of a hundred horse-sacrifices and earns salvation
hereafter. Thou wilt, O son of Pritha, obtain merit consisting of the
eight attributes, even like that which Bhishma, the foremost of the
Kurus, had obtained of yore. And as thou wilt lead these ascetics to
those tirthas, thy merit will be much greater. Those tirthas are infested
by Rakshasas, and no one, save thyself, O son of Kuru race, can go there.
Rising early he that reciteth this narrative by the celestial Rishis on
the subject of the tirthas, becometh free from all sins. Those foremost
of Rishis, Valmiki, and Kasyapa, and Atreya, and Kundajathara, and
Viswamitra, and Gautama, and Asita, and Devala, and Markandeya, and
Galava, and Bharadwaja, and Vasishtha, and the Muni Uddalaka, and Saunaka
with his son, and Vyasa, that best of ascetics, and Durvasas, that
foremost of Munis, and Javali of great austerities--all these illustrious
Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism, are staying in expectation of
thee. With these, O mighty king, do thou meet by visiting these tirthas.
And, O illustrious monarch, a great Rishi of immeasurable energy, Lomasa
by name, will come to thee. Do thou follow him, and me, and by turns
visit these tirthas, O thou virtuous one! By this, thou wilt acquire
great fame, like king Mahabhisha! O tiger among kings, even as the
virtuous Yayati and king Pururavas, dost thou blaz