03.088
dhaumya uvāca॥
Dhaumya said:
udīcyāṃ rājaśārdūla diśi puṇyāni yāni vai। tāni te kīrtayiṣyāmi puṇyānyāyatanāni ca॥03-88-1॥
O tiger among kings, I will recount to you the holy places and shrines that are in the northern direction. (03-88-1)
sarasvatī puṇyavahā hradinī vanamālinī। samudragā mahāvegā yamunā yatra pāṇḍava ॥03-88-2॥
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)
tatra puṇyatamaṁ tīrthaṁ plakṣāvataraṇaṁ śivam। yatra sārasvatairiṣṭvā gacchantyavabhṛthaṁ dvijāḥ ॥03-88-3॥
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)
puṇyaṃ cākhyāyate divyaṃ śivam agniśiro'na gha। sahadevo'yajadyatra śamyākṣep eṇa bhārata॥03-88-4॥
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)
etasminneva cārtheyam indrāgītā yudhiṣṭhira। gāthā carati loke'smiṅgīyamānā dvijātibhiḥ॥03-88-5॥
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)
agnayaḥ sahadevena ye citā yamunāmanu। śataṃ śatasahasrāṇi sahasraśatadakṣiṇāḥ॥03-88-6॥
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)
tatraiva bharato rājā cakravartī mahā-yaśāḥ। viṁśatiṁ sapta cāṣṭau ca hayamedhān upāharat ॥03-88-7॥
There itself, King Bharata, a universal monarch of great fame, performed twenty-seven and eight horse sacrifices. (03-88-7)
kāmakṛdyo dvijātīnām śrutastāta mayā purā। atyantamāśramaḥ puṇyaḥ sarakastasya viśrutaḥ॥03-88-8॥
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)
sarasvatī nadī sadbhiḥ satataṃ pārtha pūjitā। vālakhiḷyair mahārāja yatra iṣṭam ṛṣibhiḥ purā॥03-88-9॥
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)
dṛṣadvatī puṇyatamā tatra khyātā yudhiṣṭhira। tatra vaivarṇyavarṇau ca supuṇyau manujādhipa ॥03-88-10॥
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)
vedajñau vedaviditau vidyāvedavidāubhau। yajantau kratu-bhir-nityaṃ puṇyaiḥ bharata-sattama ॥03-88-11॥
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)
sametya bahuśo devāḥ sendrāḥ savaruṇāḥ purā। viśākhayūpe'tapyanta tasmāt puṇyatamaḥ sa vai ॥03-88-12॥
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)
ṛṣir mahān mahābhāgo jamadagnir mahāyaśāḥ। palāśakeṣu puṇyeṣu ramyeṣv ayajat ābhibhūḥ॥03-88-13॥
The great and highly fortunate sage Jamadagni, renowned and illustrious, performed sacrifice among the sacred and beautiful groves of palāśa-trees. (03-88-13)
yatra sarvāḥ saricchreṣṭhāḥ sākṣāttam ṛṣi-sattamam। svaṃ svaṃ toyam upādāya parivāryopatasthire ॥03-88-14॥
Where all the foremost rivers, having taken their own water, directly surrounded and approached that best among sages. (03-88-14)
api cātra mahārāja svayaṃ viśvāvasur jagau। imaṃ ślokaṃ tadā vīra prekṣya vīryaṃ mahātmanaḥ ॥03-88-15॥
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)
yajamānasya vai devāñ jamad agner mahātmanaḥ। āgamya saritaḥ sarvā madhunā samatarpayan॥03-88-16॥
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)
gandharvayakṣarakṣobhir apsarobhiś ca śobhitam। kirātakiṁnarāvāsaṁ śailaṁ śikhariṇāṁ varam॥03-88-17॥
The mountain, chief among those having peaks, adorned by gandharvas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, and apsarases, and abode of kirātas and kiṁnaras. (03-88-17)
bibheda tarasā gaṅgā gaṅgādvāre yudhiṣṭhira। puṇyaṃ tatkhyāyate rājan brahmarṣigaṇasevitam ॥03-88-18॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, Gaṅgā cleft forcefully at Gaṅgādvāra. That holy place, O king, is known to be frequented by assemblies of Brahmarṣis. (03-88-18)
sanatkumāraḥ kauravya puṇyaṃ kanakhalaṃ tathā। parvataś ca purur nāma yatra jātaḥ purūrāvāḥ ॥03-88-19॥
Sanatkumāra, O Kaurava, the sacred Kanakhala, and the mountain called Puru where Purūravas was born. (03-88-19)
bhṛgur yatra tapas tepe mahaṛṣi-gaṇa-sevitaḥ। sa rājan nāśramaḥ khyāto bhṛgu-tuṅgo mahā-giriḥ॥03-88-20॥
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)
yacca bhūtaṃ bhaviṣyacca bhavacca puruṣarṣabha। nārāyaṇaḥ prabhurviṣṇuḥ śāśvataḥ puruṣottamaḥ ॥03-88-21॥
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)
tasyāti-yaśasaḥ puṇyāṃ viśālāṃ badarīmanu। āśramaḥ khyāyate puṇyastriṣu lokeṣu viśrutaḥ॥03-88-22॥
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)
uṣṇatoyavahā gaṅgā śītatoyavahāparā। suvarṇasikatā rājan viśālāṃ badarīm anu ॥03-88-23॥
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)
ṛṣayo yatra devāśca mahābhāgā mahaujasaḥ। prāpya nityaṃ namasyanti devaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ vibhum॥03-88-24॥
Where sages, gods, and the most fortunate and powerful beings, having reached, always bow to Nārāyaṇa, the all-pervading Lord. (03-88-24)
yatra nārāyaṇo devaḥ paramātmā sanātanaḥ। tatra kṛtsnaṁ jagat pārtha tīrthāni āyatanāni ca ॥03-88-25॥
Wherever Nārāyaṇa, the eternal Supreme God, resides, O Pārtha, there all the world, sacred places, and abodes are found. (03-88-25)
tatpuṇyaṃ tatparaṃ brahma tattīrthaṃ tattapovanam। tatra devarṣayaḥ siddhāḥ sarve caiva tapodhanāḥ ॥03-88-26॥
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)
ādidevo mahāyogī yatrāste madhusūdanaḥ। puṇyānām api tat puṇyaṃ tatra te saṃśayo'stu mā ॥03-88-27॥
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)
etāni rājan puṇyāni pṛthivyāṃ pṛthivī-pate। kīrtitāni nara-śreṣṭha tīrthāni āyatānāni ca ॥03-88-28॥
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)
etāni vasubhiḥ sādhyair ādityaiḥ marudaśvibhiḥ। ṛṣibhir brahmakalpaiś ca sevitāni mahātmabhiḥ॥03-88-29॥
These have been honored by the Vasus, Sādhyas, Ādityas, Maruts and Aśvins, by sages, Brahma-like beings, and other great souls. (03-88-29)
caranetāni kaunteya sahito brāhmaṇarṣabhaiḥ| bhrātṛbhiśca mahābhāgairutkaṇṭhāṃ vijahiṣyasi॥03-88-30॥
O son of Kunti, moving about here with the foremost Brahmins and your greatly fortunate brothers, you will abandon all anxiety. (03-88-30)
