sacrifice and attains to an
exalted state. One should next, O virtuous 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
_Mayuravala_, 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 plat