03.093
The sub-narrative of Agastya
Vaiśampāyana said.
Thus, those heroes assembled together, dwelling here and there, the protectors of the earth, gradually arrived at Naimisharanya. (03-93-1)
Then, in the holy places on the river Gomati, the Pāṇḍavas, O king, after performing their ablutions, gave away fortresses and wealth, O Bhārata. (03-93-2)
There, the Kauravas repeatedly offered oblations to the gods, ancestors, and brāhmaṇas at the Kanyā tīrtha, the Aśva tīrtha, and the tīrtha of cows. (03-93-3)
O king, in Valakotya, Vṛṣaprastha, Girāvuṣya, and Bāhudā, all the Pāṇḍavas performed consecrations. (03-93-4)
O lord of the earth, at Prayāga, in the divine sacrifice of the gods, they dwelt; having bathed their bodies, they undertook supreme austerity. (03-93-5)
At the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna, the steadfastly truthful, sinless, and noble-souled people gave wealth to the brahmins. (03-93-6)
Then, O King, the sons of Pāṇḍu, accompanied by brāhmaṇas, went to the altar of Prajāpati that was honoured by ascetics, O descendant of Bharata. (03-93-7)
There, those heroes dwelt, performing supreme austerities and constantly satisfying the Brāhmaṇas with offerings derived from the forest. (03-93-8)
Then they went to the mountain, which had been honored by the righteous king Gaya, whose merit and splendor were incomparable. (03-93-9)
The lake called Gayaśira, where the virtuous great river flows, enjoyed by sages and highly auspicious, that sacred place is the best of Brahma's lakes. (03-93-10)
O king, where the revered Agastya went towards Vaivasvata (Yama) and where Dharma himself, the eternal one, resided.
O lord of men, the source of all rivers is that place where Mahadeva, the wielder of Pinaka, always abides. (03-93-12)
There, those heroic Pāṇḍavas worshipped (that place) by performing the Cāturmāsya and the great sacrificial rites for the Ṛṣis, at the spot where the great imperishable banyan tree stands. (03-93-13)
Brāhmaṇas by the hundreds who were ascetics assembled there, and then performed the Cāturmāsya sacrifice, following the procedure prescribed by the Ṛṣis. (03-93-14)
There, the Brāhmaṇas, ever devoted to knowledge and austerity, expert in the Vedas, seated in the assembly of the great-souled ones, discussed virtuous stories. (03-93-15)
There, Śamaṭha, who had bathed after completing his vow of learning and had undertaken the vow appropriate for youth, spoke to Gaya, O king, about one named Amūrtarayasa. (03-93-16)
Gaya, the son of Amūrtaraya, was the best among royal sages. Hear from me about those meritorious actions of his, O Bhārata. (03-93-17)
O king, here the sacrifice of whom was performed, abundant with food and rich in gifts; where mountains of food rose by hundreds and thousands. (03-93-18)
There were channels of ghee, of curds, and rivers numbering in the hundreds; likewise, streams of the most exquisite condiments flowed in their thousands. (03-93-19)
Day by day this (food) is given to the beggars, but the Brahmins, O King, eat separately well-prepared food. (03-93-20)
There, O Bhārata, at the time of the southern course, the Vedic sound ascended to heaven. Now, nothing at all is understood by the word 'Brahma' (Veda-sound).
O king, as you moved with virtue, the earth, quarters, sky, and atmosphere likewise were all filled with sound, and even that was most marvelous. (03-93-22)
O foremost among the Bharatas, there indeed, men sing songs; radiant and satisfied by auspicious food and drink in every region. (03-93-23)
At Gaya's sacrifice, which living beings today desire to eat, there are twenty-five mountains of food leftovers. (03-93-24)
Neither the men of former times have done, nor will others do, what Gaya, the royal sage of immeasurable splendor, did in sacrifice. (03-93-25)
How, then, will the gods, who have been fully satisfied with the offering by Gaya, be able to accept any further offerings given by others? (03-93-26)
O joy of the Kurus, many such (wondrous things) were present at the sacrifice of that great-souled one, near his lake. (03-93-27)
