By this, through the grace of Mahadeva, one attaineth
to an exalted state. After walking round the place,
one should, O bull of the Bharata race, proceed to
the tirtha named Dhara, which, O thou
of great wisdom, washeth off all sins. Bathing
there, O tiger among men, a man is freed from every
sorrow. One should then repair, O virtuous one,
after bowing to the great mountain (Himavat), to the
source of the Ganges, which is, without doubt, like
the gate of heaven. There should one, with concentrated
soul, bathe in the tirtha called Koti.
By this, one obtaineth the merit of the Pundarika
sacrifice, and delivereth his race. Residing one
night there, one acquireth the merit of giving away
a thousand kine. By offering oblations of water
duly to the gods and the Pitris, at Saptaganga,
Triganga and Sakravarta, (which are all
there), becometh adored in the regions of the virtuous.
Bathing next at Kanakhala, and fasting there
for three nights, a person reapeth the merit of the
horse-sacrifice and goeth to heaven. Then O lord
of men, the pilgrim should repair to Kapilavata.
Fasting for one night there, he obtaineth the merit
of giving away a thousand kine. O king, there
is a tirtha of the illustrious Kapila, king
of the Nagas, that is celebrated, O thou best of Kurus,
over all the worlds. Bathing there at the Nagatirtha
one obtaineth, O king, the merit of giving away a thousand
Kapila kine. One should next repair to the excellent
tirtha of Santanu, called Lalitika.
Bathing there, O king, one never sinketh into distress
(hereafter). The man that bathes at the confluence
of the Ganga and the Yamuna, obtains the merit of
ten horse-sacrifices, and also rescues his race.
One should next, O king, go to Sugandha, celebrated
over the world. By this, cleansed of every sin,
he becometh adored in the abode of Brahma. Then,
O lord of men, the pilgrim should repair to Rudravarta.
Bathing there, one ascendeth to heaven. Bathing
at the confluence of the Ganga and the Saraswati,
a person obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice
and also ascendeth to heaven. Proceeding next
to Bhadrakarneswara and worshipping the gods
duly, one, without sinking into distress, becometh
adored in heaven. Then, O lord of men, the pilgrim
should proceed to the tirtha called Kuvjamraka.
By this he obtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand
kine, and heaven also. Then, O king, the pilgrim
should go to the Arundhativata. Proceeding
thither with concentrated soul and practising the Brahmacharya
vows, one that batheth in Samudraka and fasteth
for three nights, obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice
and of giving away a thousand kine, and also rescueth
his race. One should next proceed to Brahmavarta,
with concentrated soul and practising the Brahmacharya
vows. By this, one obtaineth the merit of the
horse-sacrifice, and goeth to the region of Soma.