im. On each sacrificial
stake, seven rings were fastened at the top. And, O Yudhishthira! the
celestials together with Indra, themselves erected the sacrificial
stakes of shining gold which had been prepared for his sacred rites. In
all those magnificent sacrifices instituted by Gaya, the protector of
the earth, Indra, was delighted by drinking the _Soma_ juice, and the
ministering priests were gratified with the gratuities paid to them. And
the priests obtained untold wealth counted out to them. And as the
sand-grains of the earth, or as the stars in the sky, or as the
rain-drops when it raineth, cannot be counted by anyone, so the wealth
Gaya gave away was incapable of being counted by figures. So untold was
the wealth, O great king! that was given to the ministering priests in
all those seven sacrifices that even the above-mentioned objects might
be counted by figures, but the gratuities bestowed by him whose
largeness exceeded all that was known before were not capable of being
counted by figures. And images of the goddess of speech were made of
gold by the sculptor of the gods;--and the king gratified the members of
the sacerdotal caste, who had arrived from all the cardinal points, by
making presents to them of those images, of gold. O protector of men!
when the high-souled Gaya performed his sacrificial rites, he erected
sacrificial piles at so many different spots that but little space was
left on the surface of the earth. And, O scion of Bharata's race! he by
that sacred act attained the regions of Indra. Whoever should bathe in
the river, Payosini, would go to the regions attained by Gaya.
Therefore, O lord of kings! O unswerving prince! thou and thy brothers
should bathe in this river; then, O protector of the earth, thou wilt be
freed from all these sins.'"

Vaisampayana said, "O most praiseworthy of men! Yudhishthira with his
brothers performed ablutions in the Payosini river. Then, O sinless
prince! the powerful monarch together with his brothers, journeyed to
the hill of sapphires and the great river Narmada. The blessed saint
Lomasa there named to him all the delightful holy spots and all the
sacred shrines of the celestials. Then he with his brothers visited
those places, according to his desire and convenience. And at various
places Brahmanas by thousands received gifts from him.

"Lomasa said, 'O son of Kunti! one who visits the sapphire Hill and
plunges his body in the river Narmada attains the regi