illustrious Markandeya, of high ascetic merit sang the praises in verse
of king Nriga's line. We have heard respecting the sacrificing king
Nriga that which really took place while he was performing a sacrifice
in the excellent _tirtha_ called Varaha on the Payoshni. In that
sacrifice Indra became intoxicated with quaffing the _Soma_, and the
Brahmanas, with the gifts they received. The water of the Payoshni,
taken up (in vessel), or flowing along the ground, or conveyed by the
wind, can cleanse a person from whatever sins he may commit till the day
of his death. Higher than heaven itself, and pure, and created and
bestowed by the trident-bearing god, there in that _tirtha_ is an image
of Mahadeva beholding which a mortal goeth to the region of Siva.
Placing on one scale Ganga and the other rivers with their waters, and
on the other, the Payoshni, the latter, in my opinion would be superior
to all the _tirthas_, together, in point of merit! Then, O foremost of
the Bharata race, on the mountain called Varunasrotasa is the sacred and
auspicious wood of Mathara abounding in fruits and roots, and containing
a sacrificial stake. Then, O king, it is said that in the region on the
north of the Praveni, and about the sacred asylum of Kanwa, are many
woody retreats of ascetics. And, O child, in the _tirtha_ called
Surparaka are two sacrificial platforms of the illustrious Jamadagni,
called Pashana and Punaschandra, O Bharata! And, O son of Kunti, in that
spot is the _tirtha_ called Asoka abounding in woody retreats of
ascetics. And, O Yudhishthira, in the country of the Pandyas are the
_tirthas_ named Agastya and Varuna! And, O bull among men, there,
amongst the Pandavas, is the _tirtha_ called the Kumaris. Listen, O son
of Kunti, I shall now describe Tamraparni. In that asylum the gods had
undergone penances impelled by the desire of obtaining salvation. In
that region also is the lake of Gokarna which is celebrated over the
three worlds, hath an abundance of cool waters, and is sacred,
auspicious, and capable, O child, of producing great merit. That lake is
extremely difficult of access to men of unpurified souls. Near to that
_tirtha_ is the sacred asylum of Agastya's disciple, the mountain
Devasabha, which abounds in trees and grass, and fruits and roots. And
there also is the Vaiduryya mountain, which is delightful abounding in
gems and capable of bestowing great merit. There on that mountain is the
asylum of Agastya aboundi