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Library: Balarama visits Uśanas, known as Kapālamocana; hermitage of Rushanga; then comes to Sindhudvipa where the royal sage Devapi attained Brahminhood.
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
Rama stayed there and honored the hermitage dwellers. Balarama, also known as Halayudha, showed auspicious affection to Mankanaka.
After giving charity to the Brahmins and fasting through the night, the ploughman was honored by groups of sages and rose in the morning.
After seeking permission from all the sages and touching the water, mighty Rama quickly set out on a pilgrimage, O Bhārata.
Then Halāyudha reached the sacred place of Uśanas, known as Kapālamocana, where the great sage attained liberation.
O great king, Mahodara, the demon with seized thighs, was formerly thrown by Rama.
In that place, Kāvya, the great soul, had previously performed penance. It was there that his entire policy became manifest. While situated there, he contemplated the conflict between the demons and the Danavas.
Upon reaching the best of holy places, Bala, O king, generously distributed wealth to the great-souled Brahmins, following the prescribed rules.
Janamejaya said:
O Brahman, please tell me about Kapalamochana, the place where the great sage was liberated. How did his head become attached again, and who was responsible for it and why?
Vaishampayana said:
Once upon a time, in the forest of Dandakaranya, the great Rāghava, while residing there, O tiger among kings, killed the demons.
In the place called Janasthana, the severed head of the wicked demon fell with a sharp-edged razor in the great forest.
O king, while wandering in the forest, a bone by chance got attached to Mahodara's thigh, pierced it, and then twitched.
With that attachment, the twice-born was unable to approach the wise sage, the holy places, and the temples.
The great sage, afflicted by the foul-smelling flow, traveled to all the sacred places on earth, as we have heard.
He, the great ascetic, traveled to all the rivers and oceans and narrated everything to the sages who were enlightened.
Having bathed in all the sacred places, he did not achieve liberation. However, the best among the Brahmins heard the profound teachings of the sages.
Then, the renowned pilgrimage site associated with Uśanas, known as Sarasvati, is the ultimate sacred field for absolving all sins.
The Brahmin went to the sacred place of Uśanas. While he was purifying himself there, his head and foot, having been released, fell into the water.
Then, O king, the pure-souled and sinless one, having accomplished his purpose and pleased, came to the hermitage, free from disease, the great-bellied one.
Then, having been freed from the curse, the great ascetic went to the sacred hermitage and narrated everything to the sages with purified souls.
Upon hearing his words, they gathered and named the holy site 'Kapalamochana', honoring the giver of respect.
There, Madhava, the best of the Vrishnis, after giving many gifts to the Brahmins and worshipping them, went to the hermitage of Rushanga.
In the place where the sage practiced intense austerity, O Bharata, there Viśvāmitra, the great sage, achieved the status of a Brahmin.
Then the illustrious Haladhara, surrounded by Brahmins, went to the place where, O king, the sage, in his anger, had left his body.
A sage named Ruṣaṅgu, who was an elderly Brahmin and always engaged in penance, resolved his mind and considered many aspects deeply before abandoning his body, O descendant of Bharata.
Then, the great ascetic Ruṣaṅgu, after gathering all his sons, instructed them not to go to Pṛthūdaka.
Recognizing the sage who was beyond age and angry, the ascetics brought him to the sacred place of Sarasvati.
He, the wise one, was brought by his sons to the sacred river Sarasvati, which is endowed with numerous holy sites and frequented by groups of Brahmins.
The greatly austere sage, having bathed there according to the prescribed method and having understood the qualities of the holy places, spoke thus, being very pleased, O tiger among men, while all the sons were attending.
On the northern bank of the Sarasvati, if one abandons their body while engaged in recitation in the vast waters, they will not be tormented by death the next day.
There, Halayudha (Balarama), the righteous soul, bathed and performed rituals. He gave many gifts to the Brahmins, showing his affection towards them.
The Lord, the grandsire of the worlds, created the worlds in a place where the sage, known for his firm vows, attained Brahmanhood through great penance, O king, descendant of Kuru, and became the best of sages.
Sindhudvipa and the royal sage Devapi, known for their great austerity, attained Brahminhood in the place where the great sage Vishvamitra was present. The divine being, fierce in brilliance and greatly austere, was there.
There arrived the strong and mighty Balabhadra.
