s, O king, that asylum hath become known as the great peak of
Bhrigutunga. Near that peak is the sacred and extensive Vadari, that
highly meritorious asylum, famed over the three worlds, of him, O bull of
the Bharata race, who is the Present, the Past and the Future, who is
called Narayana and the lord Vishnu, who is eternal and the best of male
beings, and who is pre-eminently illustrious. Near Vadari, the cool
current of Ganga was formerly warm, and the banks there were overspread
with golden sands. There the gods and Rishis of high fortune and
exceeding effulgence, approaching the divine lord Narayana, always
worship him. The entire universe with all its tirthas and holy spots is
there where dwelleth the divine and eternal Narayana, the Supreme soul,
for he is Merit, he is the Supreme Brahma, he is tirtha, he is the
ascetic retreat, he is the First, he is the foremost of gods, and he is
the great Lord of all creatures. He is eternal, he is the great Creator,
and he is the highest state of blessedness. Learned persons versed in the
scriptures attain to great happiness by knowing him. In that spot are the
celestial Rishis, the Siddhas, and, indeed, all the Rishis,--where
dwelleth the slayer of Madhu, that primeval Deity and mighty Yogin! Let
no doubt enter thy heart that that spot is the foremost of all holy
spots. These, O lord of earth, are the tirthas and sacred spots on earth,
that I have recited, O best of men! These all are visited by the Vasus,
the Sadhyas, the Adityas, the Marutas, the Aswins and the illustrious
Rishis resembling the celestials themselves. By journeying, O son of
Kunti, to those places, with the Brahmanas and ascetics that are with
thee and with thy blessed brothers, thou wilt be freed from anxiety!"

SECTION XCI

Vaisampayana continued, "O son of the Kuru race, while Dhaumya was
speaking thus, there arrived at the spot the Rishi Lomasa of great
energy. And the king, who was the eldest of Pandu's sons, with his
followers and those Brahmanas sat round the highly righteous one, like
celestials in heaven sitting round Sakra. And having received him duly,
Yudhishthira the just enquired after the reason of his arrival, and the
object also of his wanderings. Thus asked by Pandu's son, the illustrious
ascetic, well-pleased, replied in sweet words delighting the Pandavas,
'Travelling at will, O Kaunteya, over all the regions, I came to Sakra's
abode, and saw there the lord of the celestials. There,