him. There in that tirtha should one perform
his ablutions, for by this he acquireth the merit of
the Pundarika sacrifice and ascendeth also
to the region of Vishnu. Then, O best of kings,
should one proceed to the place of Narayana, where,
O Bharata, Narayana is ever present and dwelleth for
aye. There the gods with Brahma at their head,
Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism, the Adityas,
the Vasus, and the Rudras, all adore Janardana, in
that tirtha, and Vishnu of wonderful deeds
hath become known as Salagrama. Approaching
the eternal Vishnu, that lord of the three worlds,
that giver of boons, one obtaineth the merit of the
horse-sacrifice, and goeth to the region of Vishnu.
There in that place, O virtuous one, is a well, capable
of destroying every sin. The four seas are ever
present in that well. He that bathes in it, O
king, will have immunity from misfortune. Beholding
(the image of) the boon-giving, eternal, and fierce
Mahadeva who is there, one shineth, O king, like the
moon emerged from the cloud. Bathing then in Jatismara,
with pure mind and subdued senses, one acquireth,
without doubt, the recollections of his former life.
Proceeding then to Maheswarapura, and worshipping
the god having the bull for his mark, fasting the
while, one obtaineth, without doubt, the fruition
of all his desires. Repairing then to Vamana
that destroys every sin, and beholding the god Hari,
one acquireth exemption from every misfortune.
One should next go to the asylum of Kusika
that is capable of removing every sin. Repairing
then to the river Kausika that cleanseth from
even great sins, one should bathe in it. By this
one obtaineth the merit of Rajasuya sacrifice.
One should next, O foremost of kings, proceed to the
excellent woods of Champaka. By spending
there one night, one acquireth the merit of giving
away a thousand kine. Arriving next at Jyeshthila,
that tirtha of rare worth, and passing one
night there, one reapeth the fruit of the gift of
a thousand kine. Beholding there (the image of)
Visweswara of great splendour, with his consort the
goddess, a person obtaineth, O bull among men, the
region of Mitra-Varuna. By fasting there for
three nights, a man acquireth the merit of the Agnishtoma
sacrifice. By visiting Kanya-samvedya,
with senses restrained and regulated fare, one acquireth,
O bull among men, the region of Manu, the lord of
creation. Rishis of rigid vows have said that
he that giveth away rice or maketh any gift at the
tirtha called Kanya, rendereth such
gift eternal. Arriving next at Nischira
celebrated over the three worlds, one obtaineth the
merit of the horse-sacrifice and goeth to the region
of Vishnu. O king, those that give away at the
confluence of the Nischira, ascend to the blessed
region of Brahma. There in that tirtha
is the asylum of Vasishtha that is known over the three
worlds. Bathing there, one obtaineth the merit