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Library: Balarama visits various places on the banks of the river Sarasvati, where ascetics are engaged in various austerities like sustaining only on air, water, or leaves. Changing direction and disappearance of the Sarasvati at various places, including the cities that were built on its banks, are mentioned.

Vaiśampāyana spoke:

Then Balarama, O king, went to the place of destruction where the Sarasvati river disappeared, driven by enmity towards the Shudras and Abhiras.

O best of the Bharatas, because Sarasvati was lost due to hatred, therefore those sages always refer to it as 'destruction' indeed.

After touching the waters of the Sarasvati, the mighty Bala proceeded to the excellent land on its bank.

There, the pure apsaras are always untiring and engage in pure sports, playing with pure faces.

In that place, O lord of people, the gods along with the Gandharvas visit the sacred and holy site, which is attended by Brahmins, every month.

There, O King, the Gandharvas and groups of Apsaras were seen gathered together, enjoying themselves as they pleased.

There, the gods and ancestors, along with the plants, rejoice as they are continuously showered with auspicious and divine flowers, time and again.

The auspicious playground of those celestial nymphs, O king, is known as Subhūmikā and is excellently situated on the bank of the Sarasvati.

There, Madhava, after bathing and giving wealth to the Brahmins, listened to the divine song and the sound of the instruments.

Upon witnessing the expansive shadows of the gods, celestial musicians, and demons, the son of Rohini proceeded to the sacred site.

There, the Gandharvas, led by Viśvāvasu and endowed with penance, perform delightful dances, music, and songs.

There, Haladhara (Balarama) distributed various kinds of wealth to the Brahmins, including goats, sheep, cows, donkeys, camels, gold, and silver.

Madhava, after feeding and satisfying the desires of the twice-born with great wealth, departed with the learned, being praised.

From Gandharva Tirtha, the mighty-armed conqueror of foes reached the sacred site of Garga's stream, known as Ekakundali.

In the place where the elder Garga, through penance and a purified mind, possesses knowledge of time and movement, there is also a transgression of the luminaries.

Janamejaya, there were both terrible and auspicious omens. At the auspicious pilgrimage site of Sarasvati, it was established by the great soul. That site is remembered by his name as Gargasrota.

There, O King, the sages of great fortune and good vows always worshipped Garga for his knowledge of time, O Lord.

There, O great king, Bala, adorned with white ointment, went and properly gave wealth to the sages of purified souls.

He, renowned and wearing blue garments, gave various foods to the Brahmins and then proceeded to Shankha Tirtha.

There, he saw a great conch, towering like the great Meru, resembling a white mountain and attended by groups of sages. On the bank of the Sarasvati, the strong mountain Tāladhvaja was born.

In that place, there are thousands of Yakshas, Vidyadharas, Rakshasas with immense energy, and Pisachas with immense strength, where perfected beings reside in great numbers.

They all, having given up regular food, eat the fruit of that tree with vows and disciplines at specific times.

Having obtained those specific rules, they wandered separately, invisible to humans, O best of men.

Thus, O king, this tree is famous in this world. There is a sacred place of Sarasvati, pure and known to the world.

In that place, the hero of the Yadus offered copper and iron vessels and various garments at the sacred site of the illustrious ones.

After worshipping the Brahmins and being honored by the ascetics, Balarama, also known as Halayudha, arrived at the holy Dvaita forest, O king.

Balarama went there, saw the sages in their various attires, bathed in the water, and then worshipped the Brahmins.

In the same manner, after providing the Brahmins with ample enjoyments, Balarama then proceeded southwards to the Sarasvati river, O King.

Acyuta, the mighty-armed and greatly renowned righteous soul, did not travel very far before arriving at the sacred site of Nāgadhanvāna.

In the place where the king of serpents, Vasuki, resides, O great king, surrounded by many splendid serpents, there are fourteen thousand perfected sages.

In the place where the gods gathered and anointed Vasuki, the supreme serpent, as the king of all serpents according to the proper rites, there, O Kaurava, there is indeed no fear from the serpents.

There, having duly given collections of jewels to the Brahmins, the king departed towards the east, shining with his own brilliance.

Balarama, the plough-bearer, after bathing many times and being pleased in those holy places, gave wealth to the brahmanas and went to the very austere sage.

Halayudha greeted the assemblies of sages present there, and then Rama proceeded to the great holy place revered by the sages.

"Sarasvati, facing east, returned once more to see the great souls, the sages residing in Naimisha."

Upon seeing that the revered river had ceased there, Balarama, the ploughman adorned with white ointment, was astonished, O king.

Janamejaya said:

O Brahman, why did Sarasvati turn back and face east then? I wish to explain all this, O best of priests.

O best of the twice-born, why was the descendant of Yadu astonished there? How did the best of rivers return?

Vaishampayana said:

O king, in the Krita Yuga, the ascetic sages of Naimisha gathered in the present abundant twelve-year sacrifice. Many sages assembled there.

After staying in the sacrifice according to the rules, when the twelve-year sacrifice at Naimisha was completed, many greatly fortunate sages arrived there for pilgrimage.

Because of the presence of many sages, O lord of the people, the holy places on the southern bank of the Sarasvati River eventually turned into cities.

O best among the twice-born, as long as the region of Kurukshetra exists, people, driven by the desire for pilgrimage, have sought refuge on the riverbank, O tiger among men.

There, the directions were filled by the great self-study of the self-realized sages who were offering.

The great souls offered their fire offerings, and the best of rivers shone brightly all around.

O great king, the Vālakhiḷyas, stone-cutters, ascetics, and others with teeth like mortars, as well as those who wash thoroughly, are present.

The ascetics, who are air-eaters, water-eaters, and leaf-eaters, are engaged in various disciplines and also sleep on the ground.

The sages were present near the Sarasvati River, enhancing its beauty just as the gods do with the Ganga.

Then, after the sacrificial sessions, the sages gathered in Kurukshetra, but they found no space available, as it was filled with those observing great vows.

Then, adorned with sacred threads, they constructed that holy site, offering fire sacrifices and performing various rituals.

Then, O King, he revealed to the despondent assembly of sages, who were filled with worry, the goddess Sarasvati for their benefit.

Then, O Janamejaya, the great river, out of compassion for the meritorious ascetics, returned after creating many groves.

Then, O King, Sarasvati, the best of rivers, returned and flowed westward again for their sake.

After completing the infallible journey, I return to them once more. Thus, a great and wonderful circle was formed, and then, O king, the great river flowed.

Thus, O King, Kuñja is remembered as belonging to Naimiṣa. In Kurukṣetra, O best of the Kurus, you should perform great deeds.

There, Rama, the great soul, was astonished to see the many groves and the river that had returned.

The descendant of Yadu, after performing the rituals properly, offered gifts and various vessels to the twice-born and provided various food and drink to the Brahmins.

Then Balarama, honored by the brahmanas, departed to the best holy place on the Sarasvati River, which was filled with various groups of brahmanas.

The forest was filled with a variety of trees including jujube, castor oil plants, wild figs, figs, sacred figs, Terminalia bellirica, jackfruit, Butea monosperma, Capparis decidua, and Salvadora persica.

The banks of the Sarasvati River were adorned with trees, bonds, and chariots. There were groves of Parushaka, and indeed, there were Bilva and Amrataka trees as well.

The place was beautifully adorned with clusters of Atimuktaka and Parijata flowers, and was abundant with banana groves, making it a desired, lovely, and charming location.

The place was surrounded by air, water, fruits, leaves, and various tools like teeth and mortars, as well as stone crushers. It was inhabited by many forest dwellers and sages.

The place was resonant with the sound of self-study and was teeming with hundreds of deer herds. It was greatly attended by non-violent men who were supremely righteous.

Halayudha reached the sacred site of the seven Sarasvatis, where the great sage Mankanaka had performed his austerities and attained perfection.