Pulastya Instructs Yudhishthira on Tirthas

Yudhishthira asked Pulastya to describe the sacred tirthas of Kurukshetra and the fruits of visiting them. Pulastya, learned in dharma, began to speak. "One should go to the supreme tirtha known as Varaha," he said. "In earlier times, Vishnu was established there in the form of a boar. Bathing there, one obtains the fruits of the agnishtoma sacrifice. Then go to Somatirtha in Jayanti — bathing there, a man obtains the fruits of a royal sacrifice. Bathing in Ekahamsa, one obtains the fruits of a thousand cows. "Then go to Kritashoucha, and from there to Pundarika. Then to Munjavata, where Mahadeva dwells. Staying there for one night, one attains the status of Ganapati. Yakshi, famous in the world, is also there — going there, one attains the sacred worlds. "This is the gate to Kurukshetra. The visitor of tirthas should control his soul and circumambulate it. Bathing in the lake created by the great-souled Jamadagnya Rama, one should worship the ancestors and the gods. One then becomes successful in one's endeavours and obtains a horse sacrifice. "Then go to Rama's lakes. The radiant and energetic Rama destroyed the kshatriyas through his valour and created five lakes there, filling them with blood. Thus did he worship his fathers and grandfathers. The ancestors were pleased and offered him a boon. Rama asked that his austerities be restored, that he be freed from the sin of killing the kshatriyas, and that the lakes become tirthas. The ancestors granted this: his austerities increased, he was freed from sin, and the lakes became sacred. One who bathes there and worships his ancestors will have everything his mind desires granted to him. "Then go to Vamshamulaka and save your own lineage by bathing there. Then to Kayashodhana — bathing there purifies the body. Then to Lokoddhara, where Vishnu rescued the worlds in ancient times — bathing there recovers many worlds for oneself. Then to Shri tirtha for supreme prosperity. Then to Kapila tirtha — bathing there, one obtains the fruits of a thousand tawny cows. Then to Surya tirtha — fasting and worshipping there, one attains the world of the sun. "Then to Govambhavana, then to Shankhini — bathing in that tirtha of the goddess, a man obtains supreme beauty. Then to Arantuka, the tirtha of the great Indra among yakshas, on the banks of the Sarasvati — bathing there, one obtains the fruits of agnishtoma. Then to Brahmavarta — bathing there, a man attains Brahma's world. Then to Sutirtha, where the ancestors dwell with the gods — performing ablutions there, one obtains a horse sacrifice and attains the world of the ancestors. "Then to Ambuvashya — bathing in the tirtha of the lord of treasures, one is cleansed of all disease and attains greatness in Brahma's world. Then to Matri tirtha — there, one's offspring increase and one attains everlasting prosperity. Then to Shitavana tirtha — one is sanctified only by looking at it. One is purified by shaving one's hair there. "There is a tirtha known as Shvanalomapaha. Learned brahmanas perform pranayama there, become purified, and attain the supreme objective. Then to Dashashvamedhika — bathing there, one attains the supreme goal. Then to Manusha — there, a black antelope oppressed by a hunter plunged into a lake and assumed human form. Bathing there as a brahmachari, conquering one's senses, one is cleansed of all sins and attains heaven. "The river Apaga is a krosha to the east of Manusha. A man offering a meal of grain to the gods and ancestors there attains all the great fruits of dharma. One brahmana fed there equals one crore brahmanas being fed. Staying there for a single night, one obtains the fruits of agnishtoma. "Then go to Brahma's supreme region, famous as Brahma's udumbara. Whoever bathes there, in the lake of the saptarshis, in Kedara of the great-souled Kapishthala, pure and controlled in mind, attains Brahma's world."