us one, one should then go to the excellent
tirtha called _Vimala_, where to this day may be seen fishes of golden
and silver hues. By bathing there, one soon acquireth the region of
Vasava, and his soul being cleansed from every sin, he attaineth to a
high state of blessedness. Proceeding next to _Vitasta_ and giving
oblations of water unto the _Pitris_ and the gods, a man, O Bharata,
obtaineth the fruit of the _Vajapeya_ sacrifice. That sin-destroying
tirtha known by the name of _Vitasta_, is situate in the country of the
_Kasmiras_ and is the abode of the Naga Takshaka. Bathing there, a man
certainly obtaineth the fruit of the _Vajapeya_ sacrifice, and his soul
cleansed from every sin, he attaineth to a high state of blessedness.
One should next proceed to _Vadava_ celebrated over the three worlds.
Bathing there with due rites in the evening, one should offer rice
boiled in butter and milk, according to the best of his might, unto the
deity of seven flames. Men of wisdom say that a gift made here in honour
of the _Pitris_, becometh inexhaustible. The Rishis, the _Pitris_, the
gods, the Gandharvas, several tribes of Apsaras, the Guhyakas, the
Kinnaras, the Yakshas, the _Siddhas_, the Vidhyadharas, the Rakshasas,
Daityas, Rudras, and Brahma himself, O king, having with subdued senses,
accepted a course of austerities for a thousand years in order to move
Vishnu to grace, cooked rice in milk and butter and gratified Kesava
with oblations, each offered with seven Riks. And, O king, the gratified
Kesava thereupon conferred on them the eight-fold attributes called
_Aiswarya_ and other objects that they desired. And having bestowed upon
them these, that god disappeared in their sight like lightning in the
clouds. And it is for this, O Bharata, that that _tirtha_ became known
by the name of _Saptacharu_, and if one offereth _Charu_ there to the
seven flamed deity, he obtaineth merit superior to that of the gift of a
hundred thousand kine, to that of a hundred Rajasuya sacrifices, as also
of a hundred horse-sacrifices. Leaving _Vadava_, O king, one should then
proceed to Raudrapada, and beholding Mahadeva there one obtaineth the
merit of the horse-sacrifice. Proceeding then, with subdued soul and
leading a Brahmacharya mode of life, to _Manirnat_, and residing there
for one night, one acquireth, O king, the merit of the _Agnishtoma_
sacrifice. One should then go, O king, to _Devika_ celebrated over the
whole world. It was there