nsed from every sin. One
should then proceed to the _tirtha_ called _Agni_. Bathing there, O bull
among men, one obtaineth the regions of _agni_ and raiseth his own race
(from lower regions). There in that _tirtha_ is another, O chief of the
Bharatas, that belongeth to Viswamitra. Bathing there, O best of men,
one obtaineth the status of a Brahmana. Proceeding next to Brahmayoni in
purity of body and with subdued soul, one obtaineth, O tiger among men,
by bathing there, the abode of Brahma, and sanctifieth, without doubt,
his own race to the seventh generation up and down. One should next
proceed, O king, to the _tirtha_ celebrated over the three worlds, which
is called _Prithudaka_, belonging to Kartikeya. One should bathe there
and occupy oneself in the worship of the Pitris and the gods. Whatever
evil hath been committed, knowingly or unknowingly, by man or woman,
impelled by human motives, is all destroyed, O Bharata, by a bath in
that _tirtha_. Bathing there one obtaineth, too, the merit of the
horse-sacrifice and heaven also. The learned have said that
_Kurukshetra_ is holy; that holier than _Kurukshetra_ is the
_Saraswati_; that holier than the Saraswati are all the _tirthas_
together, and that holier than all the _tirthas_ together is
_Prithudaka_. He that engaged in the recitation of prayers casteth off
his body at Prithudaka, which is the best of all _tirthas_, becometh an
immortal. It hath been sung by Sanatkumara and by the high-souled Vyasa,
and it is in the Vedas also, that one should, O king, go to Prithudaka,
with subdued soul. O son of Kuru race, there is no _tirtha_ which is
superior to Prithudaka. Without doubt, that _tirtha_ is purifying, holy
and sin-destroying. O best of men, it hath been said by learned persons
that men, however sinful, by bathing in Prithudaka, go to heaven. O best
of the Bharatas, there in that _tirtha_ is another called _Madhusrava_.
Bathing there, O king, one obtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand
kine. One should then proceed, O king, to that celebrated and sacred
_tirtha_ where the Saraswati uniteth with the Aruna. One that batheth
there, having fasted for three nights, is cleansed of even the sin of
slaying a Brahmana, and obtaineth also merit that is superior to that of
either the _Agnishtoma_ or _Atiratra_ sacrifice, and rescueth his race
to the seventh generation up and down. There in that _tirtha_ is
another, O perpetuator of the Kuru race, that is called Ardhakila