03.086
dhaumya uvāca॥
Dhaumya said.
dakṣiṇasyāṃ tu puṇyāni śṛṇu tīrthāni bhārata. vistareṇa yathābuddhi kīrtyamānāni bhārata ॥03-86-1॥
O Bhārata, listen to the holy sacred places in the southern region; being narrated in detail as I understand, O Bhārata. (03-86-1)
yasyām ākhyāyate puṇyā diśi godāvarī nadī। bahv-ārāmā bahu-jalā tāpasācaritā śubhā॥ 03-86-2॥
In that direction is the sacred Godāvarī river, said to be holy, with many retreats, abundant water, frequented by ascetics, and auspicious. (03-86-2)
veṇṇā bhīmarathī cobhe nadyau pāpabhayāpahe। mṛgadvijasamākīrṇe tāpasālayabhūṣite ॥03-86-3॥
The rivers Veṇṇā and Bhīmarathī, both cleansing away sin and fear, abounded with deer and birds and were adorned with hermitages. (03-86-3)
rājarṣes tatra ca sarin-nṛgasya bharatarṣabha। ramya-tīrthā bahu-jalā payoṣṇī dvijasevitā ॥03-86-4॥
O foremost of the Bharatas, there is Payoshni of the royal sage and river Nṛga—abounding in water, with charming fords, attended by the twice-born. (03-86-4)
api cātra mahāyogī mārkaṇḍeyo mahātapāḥ। anuvaṃṣyāṃ jagau gāthāṃ nṛgasya dharaṇīpateḥ ॥03-86-5॥
Here also, the great yogi Markandeya, who performed great austerities, sang a song concerning the descendants of Nriga, the lord of the earth. (03-86-5)
nṛgasya yajamānasya pratyakṣam iti naḥ śrutam। amādyad indraḥ somena dakṣiṇābhir dvijātayaḥ ॥03-86-6॥
We have directly heard that Indra was gladdened with soma and gifts by Nṛga, the sacrificer, together with the twice-born. (03-86-6)
māṭharasya vanaṃ puṇyaṃ bahumūlaphalaṃ śivam। yūpaś ca bharataśreṣṭha varuṇasrotase girau ॥03-86-7॥
There is, O best of the Bharatas, a holy and auspicious forest of Māṭhara, abundant with roots and fruits, and a sacrificial post on the mountain at the Varuṇa stream. (03-86-7)
praveṇy-uttara-pārśve tu puṇye kaṇvāśrame tathā। tāpasānām araṇyāni kīrtitāni yathāśruti ॥03-86-8॥
On the northern side of the Praveṇī, in the holy hermitage of Kaṇva as well, the hermitages of the ascetics are mentioned as known from tradition. (03-86-8)
vedī śūrpārake tāta jamadagnermahātmanaḥ। ramyā pāṣāṇatīrthā ca puraścandrā ca bhārata॥03-86-9॥
O Bhārata, the altar at Śūrpāraka of the great-souled Jamadagni, the delightful stone ford, and Puraścandra as well.
aśokatīrthaṃ martyeṣu kaunteya bahulāśramam। agastyatīrthaṃ pāṇḍyeṣu vāruṇaṃ ca yudhiṣṭhira ॥03-86-10॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, Aśoka-tīrtha is a place with many hermitages among men, O son of Kuntī; among the Pāṇḍyas, Agastya-tīrtha and the sacred place of Varuṇa are (prominent). (03-86-10)
kumāryaḥ kathitāḥ puṇyāḥ pāṇḍyeṣveva nararṣabha। tāmraparṇīṃ tu kaunteya kīrtayiṣyāmi tāṃ śṛṇu ॥03-86-11॥
O bull among men, I have already described the auspicious maidens among the Pāṇḍya people. But now, O son of Kuntī, listen as I will praise the Tāmraparṇī (river). (03-86-11)
yatra devais tapas taptaṁ mahad icchadbhir āśrame। gokarṇam iti vikhyātaṁ triṣu lokeṣu bhārata ॥03-86-12॥
O Bhārata, Gokarṇa is renowned in the three worlds as the hermitage where the gods, desiring something great, performed austerities. (03-86-12)
śītatoyo bahujalaḥ puṇyas tāta śivaś ca saḥ। hradaḥ paramaduṣprāpo mānuṣair akṛtātmabhiḥ॥03-86-13॥
O dear one, that lake, full of cold and abundant water, is meritorious and auspicious, and is extremely difficult to reach for men lacking self-discipline. (03-86-13)
tatraiva tṛṇasomāgneḥ sampannaphalamūlavān। āśramo'gastyaśiṣyasya puṇyo devasabhe girau॥03-86-14॥
There itself, on the mountain named Devasabha, lies the auspicious hermitage of Agastya's disciple, rich in fruits and roots, formerly belonging to Tṛṇa, Soma, and Agni. (03-86-14)
vaiḍūryaparvatastatra śrīmānmaṇimayaḥ śivaḥ। agastyasyāśramaścaiva bahumūlaphalodakaḥ॥03-86-15॥
There stood the splendid beryl mountain made of jewels, auspicious. Also, there was the hermitage of Agastya, abundant in roots, fruits, and water. (03-86-15)
surāṭreṣv api vakṣyāmi puṇyāny āyatanāni ca। āśramān saritaḥ śailān sarāṃsi ca narādhipa ॥03-86-16॥
O king, I shall also tell you about the holy shrines, hermitages, rivers, mountains, and lakes in the Surashtra region. (03-86-16)
camasonmajjanaṃ viprās tatrāpi kathayanty uta। prabhāsaṃ codadhau tīrthaṃ tridaśānāṃ yudhiṣṭhira ॥03-86-17॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, the Brahmins also tell there of the emergence of the sacrificial vessel and of Prabhāsa, the holy place of the gods in the ocean. (03-86-17)
tatra piṇḍārakaṃ nāma tāpasācaritaṃ śubham। ujjayantaś ca śikharī kṣipraṃ siddhikaro mahān॥03-86-18॥
There is Piṇḍāraka, an auspicious place frequented by ascetics. And the peak of Ujjayanta, great and quickly granting success. (03-86-18)
tatra devarṣivaryeṇa nāradenānukīrtitaḥ। purāṇaḥ śrūyate ślokastaṃ nibodha yudhiṣṭhira ॥03-86-19॥
There, an ancient story recited by the illustrious sage Nārada is heard; understand that verse, O Yudhisthira. (03-86-19)
puṇye girau surāṭreṣu mṛgapakṣi-niṣevite। ujjayante sma taptāṅgo nākapṛṣṭhe mahīyate ॥03-86-20॥
He who endures on the virtuous mountain in Saurashtra, frequented by beasts and birds, is indeed honored, and one whose body is scorched by austerity is exalted in heaven. (03-86-20)
puṇyā dvāravatī tatra yatrāste madhusūdanaḥ। sākṣāddevaḥ purāṇo'sau sa hi dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ॥03-86-21॥
Holy Dvaravati is that place where Madhusudana dwells; he is the god manifest, the ancient one; he indeed is the eternal righteousness. (03-86-21)
ye ca vedavido viprā ye cādhyātmavido janāḥ। te vadanti mahātmānaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ dharmaṃ sanātanam ॥03-86-22॥
Those who are knowers of the Veda, the wise, and those who know the Self among men, they speak of the great-souled Kṛṣṇa as the eternal dharma. (03-86-22)
pavitrāṇāṃ hi govindaḥ pavitraṃ param ucyate। puṇyānām api puṇyo'sau maṅgalānāṃ ca maṅgalam॥03-86-23॥
Indeed, among all that is pure, Govinda is said to be the supreme purity; he is the most virtuous among the virtuous, and the most auspicious among the auspicious. (03-86-23)
trailokyaṃ puṇḍarīkākṣo devadevaḥ sanātanaḥ। āste hariracintyātmā tatraiva madhusūdanaḥ ॥03-86-24॥
The lotus-eyed god of gods, the eternal one, Hari of inconceivable nature, Madhusūdana, abides in the three worlds right there. (03-86-24)
