Pulastya Instructs Bhishma on Tirthas

Narada told Yudhishthira how it had happened. The illustrious rishi Pulastya, pleased with Bhishma, had begun to instruct him on the sacred tirthas — the pilgrimage sites whose waters wash away sin and whose ground grants heaven. He started with Mahendra, the mountain frequented by Jamadagni's son Parashurama. Bathing at Rama tirtha there, Pulastya said, gives a man the fruits of a horse sacrifice. At Matanga's Kedara, a man obtains the fruits of one thousand cows. On Mount Shri, touching the water on the river's banks, one obtains a horse sacrifice and goes to the world of heaven. The immensely radiant Mahadeva dwells there with the goddess, together with Brahma and the thirty gods. Bathing at the lake of the gods there, pure and restrained in mind, one obtains a horse sacrifice and goes to supreme success. Then to Mount Rishabha in Pandya, worshipped by the gods — a horse sacrifice and delight in the vault of the sky. Then to Kaveri, frequented by masses of apsaras — the fruits of one thousand cows. Then to Kanyatirtha on the shores of the ocean — freedom from all sins. Then to Gokarna, renowned in the three worlds, in the middle of the ocean, where Brahma, the gods, the rishis, the ascetics, the bhutas, the yakshas, the pishachas, the kinnaras, the great nagas, the siddhas, the charanas, the gandharvas, humans, the pannagas, rivers, oceans, and mountains all worship Uma's consort. Worshipping Ishana there and fasting for three nights gives a man a horse sacrifice and the status of a Ganapati. Living there for twelve nights purifies the soul. Then to the region of Gayatri, famous in the three worlds — staying three nights gives the fruits of one thousand cows. Something special can be witnessed there: when one born of mixed varna recites the gayatri there, it becomes metrical and musical. Then to the pond of the brahmana rishi Samvarta, difficult of access — personal beauty and great fortune. Then to Venna, worshipping the ancestors and the gods — a celestial chariot drawn by peacocks and swans. Then to Godavari, always frequented by the siddhas — a cow sacrifice and Vasuki's world. Bathing at the confluence of Venna gives a horse sacrifice. Bathing at the confluence of Varada gives the fruits of one thousand cows. Going to Brahma's region and dwelling there for three nights gives the fruits of one thousand cows and the world of heaven. Going to Kushaplavana, celibate and controlled in mind, bathing and living there for three nights gives a horse sacrifice. Then to the beautiful lake of the gods, the source of the waters of the Krishna and the Venna. Bathing in the lake known as Jatimatra and in the hermitage of the maiden — where the king of the gods performed one hundred sacrifices and went to heaven — gives one hundred agnishtomas from the act of merely going there. Bathing at the lake of all the gods gives the fruits of one thousand cows. Bathing in the lake known as Jatimatra lets a man recollect his earlier lives. Then to Payoshni, supreme among rivers — worshipping the ancestors and the gods gives the fruits of one thousand cows. Then to the Dandaka forest — touching the waters there gives the fruits of one thousand cows as soon as one has bathed. Then to the hermitage of Sharabhanga and the great-souled Shukra — a man never confronts any difficulty and rescues his lineage. Then to Shurparaka, frequented by Jamadagni's son — bathing in Rama's tirtha gives a lot of gold. Then to Saptagodavari, restrained and controlled in diet — great merits and the world of the gods. Then to the Tungaka forest, celibate and in control of one's senses. In ancient times, the rishi Sarasvata had taught the Vedas there. The Vedas had been lost. Seated on the upper garments of the maharshis, the son of the sage Angiras taught them and pronounced the syllables of 'OM', accurately and as they should be uttered. Immediately, everything that had been learnt before returned to memory. The rishis, the gods, Varuna, Agni, Prajapati, the god Hari Narayana, Mahadeva, and the illustrious grandfather appointed the immensely radiant Bhrigu as a priest for their sacrifice there. When one enters Tungaka, whether a man or a woman, all one's sins are destroyed. Dwelling there for a month, controlled and restrained in diet, one goes to Brahma's world and saves one's lineage. Then to Medhavika — satisfying the ancestors and the gods gives agnishtoma and memory and intellect. Then to the peak named Kalanjara, renowned in the world — bathing in the lake of the gods there gives the fruits of one thousand cows. Purifying one's soul in Mount Kalanjara gives greatness in the world of heaven. Then to Mandakini, the cleanser of all sins, in Chitrakuta, best among the supreme of mountains — performing ablutions there and worshipping the ancestors and the gods gives a horse sacrifice and the supreme objective. Then to the supreme region of Bhartri, where the god Mahasena is always established. Bathing in Kotitirtha gives the fruits of one thousand cows. After circumambulating it, one goes to Jyeshthasthana. Going to Mahadeva makes one as resplendent as the moon. There is a famous well there, and the four oceans reside in it. Touching the waters there and circumambulating it, pure and controlled in soul, a man goes to the supreme objective. Then to the great Shringaverapura, where Rama, Dasharatha's son, crossed in ancient times. Bathing in the Ganga there, celibate and controlled, washes away all sin and attains a horse sacrifice. Going to Mahadeva and worshipping and circumambulating him gives the status of a Ganapati. Then to Prayaga, praised by the rishis. There dwell Brahma and the other gods, the directions and the lords of the directions, the lords of the worlds, the sadhyas, the nairritas, the ancestors, the supreme rishis with Sanatkumara at their head, the other brahmarshis led by Angiras, the nagas, the suparnas, the siddhas, the chakracharas, the rivers, the oceans, the gandharvas, the apsaras, and the illustrious Hari, worshipped by Prajapati. There are three pits of fire, and through their middle, Jahnavi — the Ganga — flows out of Prayaga, worshipped among all the tirthas. The goddess who is Tapana's daughter — the Yamuna — flows with the Ganga, the purifier of the world. Pulastya concluded his instruction, took his leave, and disappeared. Bhishma travelled the earth according to those words. And Narada told Yudhishthira that by leading the rishis to these tirthas, he would obtain eight times the merits.