03.085
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
तान्सर्वानुत्सुकान्दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवान्दीनचेतसः। आश्वासयंस्तदा धौम्यो बृहस्पतिसमोऽब्रवीत् ॥०३-८५-१॥
Seeing all the anxious, downhearted Pāṇḍavas, Dhaumya, who was as wise as Bṛhaspati, then consoled them and spoke. (03-85-1)
ब्राह्मणानुमतान्पुण्यानाश्रमान्भरतर्षभ। दिशस्तीर्थानि शैलांश्च शृणु मे गदतो नृप ॥०३-८५-२॥
O best of the Bharatas, O king, listen as I describe those holy hermitages sanctioned by Brāhmaṇas, as well as the sacred places, directions, and mountains. (03-85-2)
पूर्वं प्राचीं दिशं राजन्राजर्षिगणसेविताम्। रम्यां ते कीर्तयिष्यामि युधिष्ठिर यथास्मृति ॥०३-८५-३॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, I shall now extol to you, as I remember, the beautiful eastern direction, which has been attended by groups of royal sages, O king. (03-85-3)
तस्यां देवर्षिजुष्टायां नैमिषं नाम भारत। यत्र तीर्थानि देवानां सुपुण्यानि पृथक्पृथक् ॥०३-८५-४॥
O Bhārata, in that place called Naimisha, favoured by the divine sages, there are many sacred and very pure pilgrimage sites of the gods, each distinct from the other. (03-85-4)
यत्र सा गोमती पुण्या रम्या देवर्षिसेविता। यज्ञभूमिश्च देवानां शामित्रं च विवस्वतः ॥०३-८५-५॥
Where that holy and pleasant Gomatī river, served by divine sages, and the sacrificial ground of the gods, and the alliance of Vivasvat (the Sun) exist. (03-85-5)
तस्यां गिरिवरः पुण्यो गयो राजर्षिसत्कृतः। शिवं ब्रह्मसरो यत्र सेवितं त्रिदशर्षिभिः ॥०३-८५-६॥
In that region is the holy and excellent mountain, Gaya, revered by royal sages; there is the auspicious Brahma lake, which is worshipped by the seers of the gods. (03-85-6)
यदर्थं पुरुषव्याघ्र कीर्तयन्ति पुरातनाः। एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्रा यद्येकोऽपि गयां व्रजेत् ॥०३-८५-७॥
O best of men, for which reason the ancients say that many sons are to be desired: for if even one may go to Gayā. (03-85-7)
महानदी च तत्रैव तथा गयशिरोऽनघ। यत्रासौ कीर्त्यते विप्रैरक्षय्यकरणो वटः ॥ यत्र दत्तं पितृभ्योऽन्नमक्षय्यं भवति प्रभो ॥०३-८५-८॥
There, at the great river and also at Gayaśiras, O sinless one, where the banyan tree bringing inexhaustible merit is praised by the Brāhmaṇas, whatever food is offered to the ancestors there becomes imperishable, O Lord. (03-85-8)
सा च पुण्यजला यत्र फल्गुनामा महानदी। बहुमूलफला चापि कौशिकी भरतर्षभ ॥ विश्वामित्रोऽभ्यगाद्यत्र ब्राह्मणत्वं तपोधनः ॥०३-८५-९॥
There, where the sacred-waters of the great river Phalgu flow, and where the Kauśikī, rich in roots and fruits, also runs, O best of the Bharatas—Viśvāmitra, rich in austerity, attained brahminhood. (03-85-9)
गङ्गा यत्र नदी पुण्या यस्यास्तीरे भगीरथः। अयजत्तात बहुभिः क्रतुभिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः ॥०३-८५-१०॥
O dear, on the bank of the holy river Gaṅgā, Bhagīratha performed many sacrifices with abundant gifts. (03-85-10)
पाञ्चालेषु च कौरव्य कथयन्त्युत्पलावतम्। विश्वामित्रोऽयजद्यत्र शक्रेण सह कौशिकः ॥ यत्रानुवंशं भगवाञ्जामदग्न्यस्तथा जगौ ॥०३-८५-११॥
O Kauravya, among the Pāñcālas, they speak of Utpalāvata, where Viśvāmitra, the Kauśika, performed a sacrifice along with Śakra. There, too, the venerable Jāmadagnya recited the genealogy. (03-85-11)
विश्वामित्रस्य तां दृष्ट्वा विभूतिमतिमानुषीम्। कन्यकुब्जेऽपिबत्सोममिन्द्रेण सह कौशिकः ॥ ततः क्षत्रादपाक्रामद्ब्राह्मणोऽस्मीति चाब्रवीत् ॥०३-८५-१२॥
Having seen that superhuman splendor of Viśvāmitra, in Kanyakubja, Kauśika drank Soma with Indra. Then, departing from the Kṣatriya status, he said, "I am a Brāhmaṇa." (03-85-12)
पवित्रमृषिभिर्जुष्टं पुण्यं पावनमुत्तमम्। गङ्गायमुनयोर्वीर सङ्गमं लोकविश्रुतम् ॥०३-८५-१३॥
O hero, the confluence of Gaṅgā and Yamunā is pure, honored by sages, meritorious, purifying, supreme, and renowned in the world. (03-85-13)
यत्रायजत भूतात्मा पूर्वमेव पितामहः। प्रयागमिति विख्यातं तस्माद्भरतसत्तम ॥०३-८५-१४॥
O best of the Bharatas, that place where the grandsire, the soul of all beings, formerly performed sacrifice is hence renowned as Prayāga. (03-85-14)
अगस्त्यस्य च राजेन्द्र तत्राश्रमवरो महान्। हिरण्यबिन्दुः कथितो गिरौ कालञ्जरे नृप ॥०३-८५-१५॥
O king, there is the great and excellent hermitage of Agastya. Hiraṇyabindu is said to be on the Kālañjara mountain, O king. (03-85-15)
अत्यन्यान्पर्वतान्राजन्पुण्यो गिरिवरः शिवः। महेन्द्रो नाम कौरव्य भार्गवस्य महात्मनः ॥०३-८५-१६॥
O king, surpassing other mountains is the sacred and auspicious mountain called Mahendra, O descendant of Kuru; it belongs to the great-souled Bhārgava. (03-85-16)
अयजद्यत्र कौन्तेय पूर्वमेव पितामहः। यत्र भागीरथी पुण्या सदस्यासीद्युधिष्ठिर ॥०३-८५-१७॥
O son of Kuntī, the grandsire formerly performed sacrifice in that place, O Yudhiṣṭhira, where the sacred Bhāgīrathī and the assembly once were. (03-85-17)
यत्रासौ ब्रह्मशालेति पुण्या ख्याता विशां पते। धूतपाप्मभिराकीर्णा पुण्यं तस्याश्च दर्शनम् ॥०३-८५-१८॥
O lord of men, where that place named Brahmashala is famous as meritorious, filled with those whose sins are washed away — the very seeing of it is holy. (03-85-18)
पवित्रो मङ्गलीयश्च ख्यातो लोके सनातनः। केदारश्च मतङ्गस्य महानाश्रम उत्तमः ॥०३-८५-१९॥
The pure, auspicious, and world-renowned eternal Kedara, and the excellent great hermitage of Mataṅga.
कुण्डोदः पर्वतो रम्यो बहुमूलफलोदकः। नैषधस्तृषितो यत्र जलं शर्म च लब्धवान् ॥०३-८५-२०॥
Kuṇḍoda is a charming mountain with abundant roots, fruits, and water; it is where the thirsty Naiṣadha obtained both water and comfort. (03-85-20)
यत्र देववनं रम्यं तापसैरुपशोभितम्। बाहुदा च नदी यत्र नन्दा च गिरिमूर्धनि ॥०३-८५-२१॥
Where the charming divine forest is adorned by ascetics, and where the river Bāhudā and the Nandā are on the mountain peak. (03-85-21)
तीर्थानि सरितः शैलाः पुण्यान्यायतनानि च। प्राच्यां दिशि महाराज कीर्तितानि मया तव ॥०३-८५-२२॥
O great king, I have described to you the holy places, rivers, mountains, and sacred shrines in the eastern region. (03-85-22)
तिसृष्वन्यासु पुण्यानि दिक्षु तीर्थानि मे शृणु। सरितः पर्वतांश्चैव पुण्यान्यायतनानि च ॥०३-८५-२३॥
Hear from me about the sacred places in the three other directions: the rivers, the mountains, and the auspicious abodes. (03-85-23)
