Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 88

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Mahabharata - Vana Parva


Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Section 90: English

SECTION XC
mentions tirthas in the North

"Dhaumya continued, 'O tiger among kings, I shall now describe those tirthas and sacred spots that lie to the north. Do thou, O exalted one, listen to me attentively. By hearing this narration, O hero, one acquireth a reverential frame of mind, which conduceth to much good. In that region is the highly sacred

  • Saraswati (सरस्वती) (III.88.2) abounding in tirthas and with banks easy of descent. There also, O son of Pandu, is the ocean-going and impetuous
  • Yamuna (यमुना)(III.88.2), and the tirtha called
  • Plakshavatarana (पलक्षावतरण)(III.88.3), productive of high merit and prosperity. It was there that the regenerate ones having performed the Saraswata sacrifice, bathed on the completion there of. O sinless one, is the well-known celestial tirtha called
  • Agnishira (अग्निशिर) (III.88.4), which is productive of great merit. There king Sahadeva had celebrated a sacrifice measuring out the ground by a throw of the Samya. It is for this reason, O Yudhishthira, that Indra sang the praises of Sahadeva in verse. Those verses are still current in this world, being recited by the regenerate ones, e. g., on the Yamuna Sahadeva worshipped the sacrificial fire, with gifts in a hundred thousands to Brahmanas. There the illustrious king, the imperial Bharata, performed five and thirty horse-sacrifices. O child, we have heard that
  • Sarabhanga (?) of yore used to fully gratify the desires of the regenerate ones. There in this region is his celebrated asylum productive of great merit. In that region also, O son of Pritha, is the river Saraswati, which is ever worshipped by the god, where, in days of yore, the
  • Valakhilyas (वालखिल्य) (III.88.9), O great king, performed sacrifices. In that region also, O Yudhishthira, is the well-known river
  • Drishadwati (दृषद्वती) (III.88.10), which is productive of great merit. Then, O chief of men, are
  • Nyagrodhakhya (?) (?), and
  • Panchalya () (?), and
  • Punyaka () (?) and
  • Dalbhyaghosha () (?), and
  • Dalbhya () (?), which are, O son of Kunti, the sacred asylum in the world of illustrious
  • Anandayasas (?) of excellent vows and great energy, and which are celebrated over the three worlds. Here also, O lord of men, the illustrious
  • Etavarna and
  • Avavarana versed in the Vedas, learned in Vedic lore, and proficient in the knowledge of Vedic rites, performed meritorious sacrifices, O chief of the Bharata race! There also is
  • Vishakhayupa (विशाख यूप) (III.88.12) ( p. 204 ) to which, in days of yore, came the gods with Varuna and Indra, and practised ascetic austerities. And therefore is that spot so eminently sacred. Here also is
  • Palashaka (पलाशक) (III.88.13), where the great and illustrious and highly blessed Rishi Jamadagni performed sacrifices. There all the principal rivers in their embodied forms taking their respective waters stood surrounding that best of sages. And there also, O monarch, Vibhavasu (fire) himself, beholding that high-souled one's initiation, sang the following sloka: 'The river coming to the illustrious Jamadagni while sacrificing unto the gods gratified the Brahmanas with offerings of honey.' O Yudhishthira, the spot where Ganga rusheth past, cleaving the foremost of mountains which is frequented by Gandharvas and Yakshas and Rakshasas and Apsaras, and inhabited by hunters, and Kinnaras, is called
  • Gangadwara (गङ्गा दवार) (III.88.18). O king, Sanatkumara regardeth that spot visited by Brahmarshis, as also the tirtha
  • Kanakhala (कनखल) (III.88.19) that is near to it, as sacred. There also is the mountain named
  • Puru (पुरु-पर्वत) (III.88.19) which is resorted to by great Rishis and where
  • Pururavas (पुरूरव) (III.88.19) was born, and Bhrigu practised ascetic austerities. For this it is, O king, that asylum hath become known as the great peak of
  • Bhrigutunga (भृगुतुङ्ग) (III.88.20). Near that peak is the sacred and extensive
  • Vadari (बदरी-आश्रम) (III.88.22), that highly meritorious asylum, famed over the three worlds, of him, O bull of the Bharata race, who is the Present, the Past and the Future, who is called Narayana and the lord Vishnu, who is eternal and the best of male beings, and who is pre-eminently illustrious. Near Vadari, the cool current of
  • Ganga (गङ्ग) (III.88.23) was formerly warm, and the banks there were overspread with golden sands. There the gods and Rishis of high fortune and exceeding effulgence, approaching the divine lord Narayana, always worship him. The entire universe with all its tirthas and holy spots is there where dwelleth the divine and eternal Narayana, the Supreme soul, for he is Merit, he is the Supreme Brahma, he is tirtha, he is the ascetic retreat, he is the First, he is the foremost of gods, and he is the great Lord of all creatures. He is eternal, he is the great Creator, and he is the highest state of blessedness. Learned persons versed in the scriptures attain to great happiness by knowing him. In that spot are the celestial Rishis, the Siddhas, and, indeed, all the Rishis,--where dwelleth the slayer of Madhu, that primeval Deity and mighty Yogin! Let no doubt enter thy heart that that spot is the foremost of all holy spots. These, O lord of earth, are the tirthas and sacred spots on earth, that I have recited, O best of men! These all are visited by the Vasus, the Sadhyas, the Adityas, the Marutas, the Aswins and the illustrious Rishis resembling the celestials themselves. By journeying, O son of Kunti, to those places, with the Brahmanas and ascetics that are with thee and with thy blessed brothers, thou wilt be freed from anxiety!"

Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 88:Sanskrit

1 [धौम्य]
     उदीच्यां राजशार्दूल दिशि पुण्यानि यानि वै
     तानि ते कीर्तयिष्यामि पुण्यान्य आयतनानि च
 2 सरस्वती पुण्यवहा हरदिनी वनमालिनी
     समुद्रगा महावेगा यमुना यत्र पाण्डव
 3 तत्र पुण्यतमं तीर्थं पलक्षावतरणं शिवम
     यत्र सारस्वतैर इष्ट्वा गच्छन्त्य अवभृथं दविजाः
 4 पुण्यं चाख्यायते दिव्यं शिवम अग्निशिरॊ ऽनघ
     सहदेवायजद यत्र शम्य आक्षेपेण भारत
 5 एतस्मिन्न एव चार्थेयम इन्द्र गीता युधिष्ठिर
     गाथा चरति लॊके ऽसमिन गीयमाना दविजातिभिः
 6 अग्नयः सहदेवेन ये चिता यमुनाम अनु
     शतं शतसहस्राणि सहस्रशतदक्षिणाः
 7 तत्रैव भरतॊ राजा चक्रवर्ती महायशाः
     विंशतिं सप्त चाष्टौ च हयमेधान उपाहरत
 8 कामकृद यॊ दविजातीनां शरुतस तात मया पुरा
     अत्यन्तम आश्रमः पुण्यः सरकस तस्य विश्रुतः
 9 सरस्वती नदी सद्भिः सततं पार्थ पूजिता
     वालखिल्यैर महाराज यत्रेष्टम ऋषिभिः पुरा
 10 दृषद्वती पुण्यतमा तत्र खयाता युधिष्ठिर
    तत्र वैवर्ण्य वर्णौ च सुपुण्यौ मनुजाधिप
11 वेदज्ञौ वेद विदितौ दिव्या वेदविदाव उभौ
    यजन्तौ करतुभिर नित्यं पुण्यैर भरतसत्तम
12 समेत्य बहुशॊ देवाः सेन्द्राः स वरुणाः पुरा
    विशाख यूपे ऽतप्यन्त तस्मात पुण्यतमः स वै
13 ऋषिर महान महाभागॊ जमदग्निर महायशाः
    पलाशकेषु पुण्येषु रम्येष्व अयजताभिभूः
14 यत्र सर्वाः सरिच्छ्रेष्ठाः साक्षात तम ऋषिसत्तमम
    सवं सवं तॊयम उपादाय परिवार्यॊपतस्थिरे
15 अपि चात्र महाराज सवयं विश्वावसुर जगौ
    इमं शलॊकं तदा वीर परेक्ष्य वीर्यं महात्मनः
16 यजमानस्य वै देवाञ जमदग्नेर महात्मनः
    आगम्य सरितः सर्वा मधुना समतर्पयन
17 गन्धर्वयक्षरक्षॊभिर अप्सरॊभिश च शॊभितम
    किरात किंनरावासं शैलं शिखरिणां वरम
18 बिभेद तरसा गङ्गा गङ्गा दवारे युधिष्ठिर
    पुण्यं तत खयायते राजन बरह्मर्षिगणसेवितम
19 सनत कुमारः कौरव्य पुण्यं कनखलं तथा
    पर्वतश च पुरुर नाम यत्र जातः पुरूरवः
20 भृगुर यत्र तपस तेपे महर्षिगणसेवितः
    स राजन्न आश्रमः खयातॊ भृगुतुङ्गॊ महागिरिः
21 यच च भूतं भविष्यच च भवच च पुरुषर्षभ
    नारायणः परभुर विष्णुः शाश्वतः पुरुषॊत्तमः
22 तस्यातियशसः पुण्यां विशालां बदरीम अनु
    आश्रमः खयायते पुण्यस तरिषु लॊकेषु विश्रुतः
23 उष्ण तॊयवहा गङ्ग शीततॊयवहापरा
    सुवर्णसिकता राजन विशालां बदरीम अनु
24 ऋषयॊ यत्र देवाश च महाभागा महौजसः
    पराप्य नित्यं नमस्यन्ति देवं नारायणं विभुम
25 यत्र नारायणॊ देवः परमात्मा सनातनः
    तत्र कृत्स्नं जगत पार्थ तीर्थान्य आयतनानि च
26 तत पुण्यं तत्परं बरह्म तत तीर्थं तत तपॊवनम
    तत्र देवर्षयः सिद्धाः सर्वे चैव तपॊधनाः
27 आदिदेवॊ महायॊगी यत्रास्ते मधुसूदनः
    पुण्यानाम अपि तत पुण्यं तत्र ते संशयॊ ऽसतु मा
28 एतानि राजन पुण्यानि पृथिव्यां पृथिवीपते
    कीर्तितानि नरश्रेष्ठ तीर्थान्य आयतनानि च
29 एतानि वसुभिः साध्यैर आदित्यैर मरुद अश्विभिः
    ऋषिभिर बरह्मकल्पैश च सेवितानि महात्मभिः
30 चरन एतानि कौन्तेय सहितॊ बराह्मणर्षभैः
    भरातृभिश च महाभागैर उत्कण्ठां विजहिष्यसि