and Yamuna which is celebrated over the world. Holy and
sin-destroying, that _tirtha_ is much regarded by the Rishis. It is
there that the soul of all things, the Grandsire, had, in olden days,
performed his sacrifice, and it is for this, O chief of the Bharata
race, that the place hath come to be called Prayaga. In this direction,
O foremost of kings, lieth the excellent asylum of Agastya, O monarch,
and the forest called Tapasa, decked by many ascetics. And there also is
the great _tirtha_ called Hiranyavinda on the Kalanjara hills, and that
best of mountains called Agastya, which is beautiful, sacred and
auspicious. In that quarter, O descendant of the Kuru race, is the
mountain called Mahendra, sacred to the illustrious Rama of the Bhrigu
race. There, O son of Kunti, the Grandsire performed sacrifices of yore.
There, O Yudhishthira, the sacred Bhagiratha entereth a lake and there
also, O king, is that sacred river known by the name of the
merit-bestowing Brahmasara, whose banks are inhabited by persons whose
sins have been washed away, and whose sight alone produceth merit. In
that direction also lieth the high-souled Matanga's excellent asylum,
called Kedara which is sacred and auspicious and celebrated over the
world. And there also is the mountain called Kundoda, which is so
delightful and abounding in fruits and roots and waters, and where the
king of the Nishadhas (Nala) had slaked his thirst and rested for a
while. In that quarter also is the delightful Deva-vana which is graced
by ascetics. There also are the rivers Vahuda and Nanda on the
mountain's crest. O mighty king, I have described unto thee all the
_tirthas_ and sacred spots in the Eastern quarter. Do thou now hear of
the sacred _tirthas_, and rivers and mountains and holy spots in the
other three quarters!'"

SECTION LXXXVIII

"Dhaumya continued, 'Listen, O Bharata, I shall now narrate to thee in
detail according to my knowledge, the sacred _tirthas_ of the south. In
that quarter lieth the sacred and auspicious river Godavari, full of
water abounding in groves and frequented by ascetics. In that direction
also are the rivers Venna and Bhimarathi, both capable of destroying sin
and fear, and abounding in birds and deer, and graced with abodes of
ascetics. In that region also, O bull of the Bharata race, is the
_tirtha_ of the royal ascetic, Nriga _viz_., the river Payoshni, which
is delightful and full of waters and visited by Brahmanas. There the