03.088
धौम्य उवाच॥
Dhaumya said:
उदीच्यां राजशार्दूल दिशि पुण्यानि यानि वै। तानि ते कीर्तयिष्यामि पुण्यान्यायतनानि च ॥०३-८८-१॥
O tiger among kings, I will recount to you the holy places and shrines that are in the northern direction. (03-88-1)
सरस्वती पुण्यवहा ह्रदिनी वनमालिनी। समुद्रगा महावेगा यमुना यत्र पाण्डव ॥०३-८८-२॥
Sarasvatī, the meritorious river with pools and forest garlands, and Yamunā, swift and flowing to the ocean, are where the Pāṇḍavas (resided). (03-88-2)
तत्र पुण्यतमं तीर्थं प्लक्षावतरणं शिवम्। यत्र सारस्वतैरिष्ट्वा गच्छन्त्यवभृथं द्विजाः ॥०३-८८-३॥
There is the most sacred tīrtha, the auspicious Plakṣāvataraṇa, where twice-born sages of Sarasvatī, having completed rites, proceed for the ceremonial bath. (03-88-3)
पुण्यं चाख्यायते दिव्यं शिवमग्निशिरोऽनघ। सहदेवोऽयजद्यत्र शम्याक्षेपेण भारत ॥०३-८८-४॥
This meritorious, divine, and auspicious Agniśiras is described, O sinless one. Here Sahadeva performed a sacrifice by casting a staff, O Bhārata. (03-88-4)
एतस्मिन्नेव चार्थेयमिन्द्रगीता युधिष्ठिर। गाथा चरति लोकेऽस्मिन्गीयमाना द्विजातिभिः ॥०३-८८-५॥
O Yudhishthira, indeed, in this matter, this Indra-gītā (song of Indra) circulates in this world, being sung by the twice-born. (03-88-5)
अग्नयः सहदेवेन ये चिता यमुनामनु। शतं शतसहस्राणि सहस्रशतदक्षिणाः ॥०३-८८-६॥
The fires that Sahadeva kindled along the Yamunā, a hundred, hundreds of thousands in number, accompanied by gifts of hundreds and thousands. (03-88-6)
तत्रैव भरतो राजा चक्रवर्ती महायशाः। विंशतिं सप्त चाष्टौ च हयमेधानुपाहरत् ॥०३-८८-७॥
There itself, King Bharata, a universal monarch of great fame, performed twenty-seven and eight horse sacrifices. (03-88-7)
कामकृद्यो द्विजातीनां श्रुतस्तात मया पुरा। अत्यन्तमाश्रमः पुण्यः सरकस्तस्य विश्रुतः ॥०३-८८-८॥
O dear one, I have formerly heard of Saraka, the meritorious and ultimate hermitage, renowned among those twice-born who act according to desire. (03-88-8)
सरस्वती नदी सद्भिः सततं पार्थ पूजिता। वालखिल्यैर्महाराज यत्रेष्टमृषिभिः पुरा ॥०३-८८-९॥
O Partha, the Sarasvati river was always worshipped by the virtuous. In ancient times, O great king, the Vālakhilya sages and other sages performed sacrifices there. (03-88-9)
दृषद्वती पुण्यतमा तत्र ख्याता युधिष्ठिर। तत्र वैवर्ण्यवर्णौ च सुपुण्यौ मनुजाधिप ॥०३-८८-१०॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, Dṛṣadvatī is renowned there as the most sacred. There, Vaivarṇya and Varṇa are also very sacred, O king of men. (03-88-10)
वेदज्ञौ वेदविदितौ विद्यावेदविदावुभौ। यजन्तौ क्रतुभिर्नित्यं पुण्यैर्भरतसत्तम ॥०३-८८-११॥
O best of the Bharatas, both of them, who are knowers of the Veda, known through the Veda, and mastered in learning and the Veda, always perform meritorious sacrifices with ritual offerings. (03-88-11)
समेत्य बहुशो देवाः सेन्द्राः सवरुणाः पुरा। विशाखयूपेऽतप्यन्त तस्मात्पुण्यतमः स वै ॥०३-८८-१२॥
Long ago, the gods, together with Indra and Varuṇa, repeatedly assembled and were afflicted at the Viśākhayūpa; therefore, that one is considered the most meritorious. (03-88-12)
ऋषिर्महान्महाभागो जमदग्निर्महायशाः। पलाशकेषु पुण्येषु रम्येष्वयजताभिभूः ॥०३-८८-१३॥
The great and highly fortunate sage Jamadagni, renowned and illustrious, performed sacrifice among the sacred and beautiful groves of palāśa-trees. (03-88-13)
यत्र सर्वाः सरिच्छ्रेष्ठाः साक्षात्तमृषिसत्तमम्। स्वं स्वं तोयमुपादाय परिवार्योपतस्थिरे ॥०३-८८-१४॥
Where all the foremost rivers, having taken their own water, directly surrounded and approached that best among sages. (03-88-14)
अपि चात्र महाराज स्वयं विश्वावसुर्जगौ। इमं श्लोकं तदा वीर प्रेक्ष्य वीर्यं महात्मनः ॥०३-८८-१५॥
Furthermore, O great king, here Viśvāvasu himself sang this verse at that time, O hero, after witnessing the valor of the great-souled one. (03-88-15)
यजमानस्य वै देवाञ्जमदग्नेर्महात्मनः। आगम्य सरितः सर्वा मधुना समतर्पयन् ॥०३-८८-१६॥
Indeed, the gods of the sacrificer, having reached all the rivers belonging to the great-souled Jamadagni, satisfied (them) completely with honey. (03-88-16)
गन्धर्वयक्षरक्षोभिरप्सरोभिश्च शोभितम्। किरातकिंनरावासं शैलं शिखरिणां वरम् ॥०३-८८-१७॥
The mountain, chief among those having peaks, adorned by gandharvas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, and apsarases, and abode of kirātas and kiṁnaras. (03-88-17)
बिभेद तरसा गङ्गा गङ्गाद्वारे युधिष्ठिर। पुण्यं तत्ख्यायते राजन्ब्रह्मर्षिगणसेवितम् ॥०३-८८-१८॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, Gaṅgā cleft forcefully at Gaṅgādvāra. That holy place, O king, is known to be frequented by assemblies of Brahmarṣis. (03-88-18)
सनत्कुमारः कौरव्य पुण्यं कनखलं तथा। पर्वतश्च पुरुर्नाम यत्र जातः पुरूरवाः ॥०३-८८-१९॥
Sanatkumāra, O Kaurava, the sacred Kanakhala, and the mountain called Puru where Purūravas was born. (03-88-19)
भृगुर्यत्र तपस्तेपे महर्षिगणसेवितः। स राजन्नाश्रमः ख्यातो भृगुतुङ्गो महागिरिः ॥०३-८८-२०॥
O King, that hermitage on the great mountain named Bhṛgu-tuṅga, where Sage Bhṛgu practiced austerities and was attended by assemblies of great seers, is well-known. (03-88-20)
यच्च भूतं भविष्यच्च भवच्च पुरुषर्षभ। नारायणः प्रभुर्विष्णुः शाश्वतः पुरुषोत्तमः ॥०३-८८-२१॥
O best of men, that which is past, future, and present—all this is Nārāyaṇa, the master, Viṣṇu, the eternal and supreme person. (03-88-21)
तस्यातियशसः पुण्यां विशालां बदरीमनु। आश्रमः ख्यायते पुण्यस्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः ॥०३-८८-२२॥
The hermitage of that highly renowned one, holy and vast along the sacred Badarī, is famed as holy and celebrated in all the three worlds. (03-88-22)
उष्णतोयवहा गङ्ग शीततोयवहापरा। सुवर्णसिकता राजन्विशालां बदरीमनु ॥०३-८८-२३॥
O king, the Gaṅgā carries hot water, while the other river carries cold water; it has golden sand and is vast, following (near) Badarī. (03-88-23)
ऋषयो यत्र देवाश्च महाभागा महौजसः। प्राप्य नित्यं नमस्यन्ति देवं नारायणं विभुम् ॥०३-८८-२४॥
Where sages, gods, and the most fortunate and powerful beings, having reached, always bow to Nārāyaṇa, the all-pervading Lord. (03-88-24)
यत्र नारायणो देवः परमात्मा सनातनः। तत्र कृत्स्नं जगत्पार्थ तीर्थान्यायतनानि च ॥०३-८८-२५॥
Wherever Nārāyaṇa, the eternal Supreme God, resides, O Pārtha, there all the world, sacred places, and abodes are found. (03-88-25)
तत्पुण्यं तत्परं ब्रह्म तत्तीर्थं तत्तपोवनम्। तत्र देवर्षयः सिद्धाः सर्वे चैव तपोधनाः ॥०३-८८-२६॥
That is the merit, that is the supreme Brahman, that is the sacred place, that is the ascetic grove; there, all the divine sages, perfected beings, and ascetics endowed with austerity dwell. (03-88-26)
आदिदेवो महायोगी यत्रास्ते मधुसूदनः। पुण्यानामपि तत्पुण्यं तत्र ते संशयोऽस्तु मा ॥०३-८८-२७॥
Where the primordial god, the great yogi Madhusūdana, abides—there is the supreme merit of merits; let there be no doubt of this for you. (03-88-27)
एतानि राजन्पुण्यानि पृथिव्यां पृथिवीपते। कीर्तितानि नरश्रेष्ठ तीर्थान्यायतनानि च ॥०३-८८-२८॥
O king, these meritorious places on earth, O lord of the earth, have been declared, O best of men, as sacred places and shrines. (03-88-28)
एतानि वसुभिः साध्यैरादित्यैर्मरुदश्विभिः। ऋषिभिर्ब्रह्मकल्पैश्च सेवितानि महात्मभिः ॥०३-८८-२९॥
These have been honored by the Vasus, Sādhyas, Ādityas, Maruts and Aśvins, by sages, Brahma-like beings, and other great souls. (03-88-29)
चरनेतानि कौन्तेय सहितो ब्राह्मणर्षभैः। भ्रातृभिश्च महाभागैरुत्कण्ठां विजहिष्यसि ॥०३-८८-३०॥
O son of Kunti, moving about here with the foremost Brahmins and your greatly fortunate brothers, you will abandon all anxiety. (03-88-30)
