. This is an excellent holy bathing-place on the river Yamuna, known
as Plakshavatarana (descent of the banian tree). Men of cultured minds
call it the entrance to the region of heaven. O respected sir! here,
after having performed sacrificial rites of the Saraswata king, and
making use of the sacrificial stake for their pestle, the highest order
of saints performed the holy plunge prescribed at the end of a sacred
ceremony. O monarch! King Bharata here performed sacrificial rites. To
celebrate the horse-sacrifice, he here set free the horse who was the
intended victim. That monarch had won the sovereignty of the earth by
righteousness. The horse? he let go more than once were of a colour
checkered with black. O tiger among men! it was here that Marutta
sheltered by Samvartta, leader of saints, succeeded in performing
excellent sacrifices. O sovereign of kings! Having taken his bath at this
spot, one can behold all the worlds, and is purified from his evil deeds.
Do thou, therefore, bathe at this spot.'"

Vaisampayana said, "Then that most praiseworthy of Pandu's sons, there
bathed with his brothers, while the mighty saints were uttering laudatory
words to him. And he addressed the following words to Lomasa, 'O thou
whose strength lieth in truthfulness! By virtue of this pious act, I
behold all the worlds. And from this place, I behold that most
praiseworthy of Pandu's sons Arjuna, the rider of white steed."

'Lomasa said, 'It is even so, O thou of powerful arms! The saints of the
highest order thus behold all the regions. Behold this holy Saraswati
here, thronged by persons who look upon her as their sole refuge. O most
praise worthy of men! having bathed here, thou wilt be free from all thy
sins. O Kunti's son! here the celestial saints performed sacrificial
rites of Saraswata king: and so did the saints and the royal saints. This
is the altar of the lord of beings, five yojanas in extent on all sides
round. And this is the field of the magnanimous Kurus, whose habit it was
to perform sacrifices.'"

SECTION CXXX

"Lomasa said, 'O son of Bharata's race! If mortals breathe their last at
this spot, they go to heaven. O king! Thousands upon thousands of men
come to this place to die. A blessing was pronounced on this spot by
Daksha, when he was engaged in sacrifice here, (in these words), 'Those
men that shall die at this spot shall win a place in heaven.' Here is the
beautiful and sacred river, Saraswati, full of