Pulastya Instructs Yudhishthira on Tirtha Pilgrimage

Yudhishthira asked Pulastya to describe the sacred tirthas — the pilgrimage sites where a man could cleanse his sins and attain heaven. Pulastya, the ancient sage, began to speak. He told Yudhishthira to go first to the place of the goddess known as Shakambhari, difficult of access and famous in the three worlds. Long ago, the goddess had subsisted on vegetables for a thousand divine years, month after month, feeding the rishis and ascetics who came to her. That was how she earned her name — Shakambhari, the one who lives on vegetables. A pilgrim who goes there should stay three nights, eating only vegetables, restrained and pure. Through the goddess’s grace, a visit there equals the fruit of living on vegetables for twelve years. From there, one should go to Suvarnaksha, renowned in the three worlds. In ancient times, Vishnu himself had propitiated Rudra there to win his favours, and the destroyer of Tripura had been satisfied, granting Vishnu rare boons. “You will be more loved in the world,” Rudra told him. “Your mouth will be the entire universe.” A man who goes there and worships Vrishadhvaja attains a horse sacrifice and the status of a Ganapati. Then to Dhumavati — fast there for three nights, and obtain everything one desires in one’s mind. To Rathavarta, south of the goddess — ascend it with faith and control of the senses, and through Mahadeva’s grace, obtain the supreme objective. To Dhara, the cleanser of all sins — bathe there and never sorrow again. After showing obeisance to the great mountain, one should go to the gate of the Ganga — like the gate of heaven itself. Bathe there in Kotitirtha, controlled in mind, and obtain a pundarika sacrifice while saving one’s lineage. Satisfy the gods and ancestors in Saptaganga, Triganga, and Shakravarta, and attain greatness in the world of the virtuous. Bathe in Kanakhala, fast for three nights, and obtain a horse sacrifice and the world of heaven. Then to Kapilavata, the tirtha of the great-souled Kapila, king of the nagas. Stay there one night and obtain the fruits of one thousand cows. Perform ablutions there and obtain the fruits of one thousand tawny cows. To Lalitika, Shantanu’s supreme tirtha — bathe there and never confront difficulties. Bathe at the confluence of the Ganga and the Sangama and obtain ten horse sacrifices, rescuing one’s lineage. From there, to Sugandha — cleansed of all sin and pure of soul, one attains greatness in Brahma’s world. To Rudravarta — bathe there and attain greatness in the world of heaven. Bathe at the confluence of the Ganga and the Sarasvati and obtain a horse sacrifice. To Bhadrakarneshvara — worship the gods there and never confront difficulties, going to the world of heaven. To Kubjamraka — obtain the fruits of one thousand cows. To Arundhativata — touch the water at Samudraka, fast for three nights, obtain the fruits of one thousand cows, and rescue one’s lineage. To Brahmavarta — obtain a horse sacrifice. To the source of the Yamuna — touch the water there and obtain the fruits of a horse sacrifice. To Darvisamkramana — obtain a horse sacrifice. To the source of the Sindhu, frequented by siddhas and gandharvas — stay there five nights and obtain a lot of gold. To Vedi, extremely difficult of access — obtain a horse sacrifice and the goal of Ushanas. To Rishikulya and Vasishtha — at Vasishtha, all the other varnas become brahmanas. Bathe in Rishikulya and attain the world of the rishis, if one lives there for a month subsisting on vegetables. To Bhrigutunga — obtain the fruits of a horse sacrifice. To Virapramoksha — be freed from all sins. To the tirthas of Krittika and Magha — obtain the fruits of agnishtoma and atiratra sacrifices. To Vidyatirtha in the evening — touch the water and become skilled in all forms of knowledge. Spend a night in Mahashrama, eating once a day, and be cleansed of all sins, attaining the worlds of the pure. Live there for a month at the time of Mahalaya, eating once every three days, and obtain a lot of gold. To Vetasika, frequented by the grandfather — obtain a horse sacrifice and the objective of Ushanas. To Sundarika, frequented by the siddhas — become handsome. To Brahmani — go to Brahma’s world in a lotus-coloured vehicle. Then to Naimisha, the sacred forest frequented by the siddhas. Brahma himself always resides there with the masses of the gods. Even desiring to go to Naimisha destroys half of one’s sins. As soon as a man enters it, all his sins are cleansed. A wise visitor of tirthas should live in Naimisha for a month — all the tirthas of the earth are there. Bathe there, controlled and restrained in diet, and obtain the fruits of a sacrifice in which cows are donated, rescuing one’s lineage for seven generations. He who gives up his life in Naimisha through fasting finds delight in the world of heaven. To Gangobheda — fast there for three nights, obtain a horse sacrifice, and be born like Brahma. To the Sarasvati — satisfy the ancestors and the gods and find delight in Sarasvati’s world. To Bahuda — obtain the fruits of a devasatra sacrifice. To Chiravati — worship the ancestors and the gods and obtain a horse sacrifice. To Vimalashoka — spend a night there and shine like the moon, attaining greatness in the world of heaven. To Gopratara, the supreme of tirthas on the Sarayu — where Rama himself went to heaven with his servants, forces, and vehicles. Bathe there and be cleansed of all sins, becoming pure in soul and attaining greatness in the world of heaven.