. From
compassion for the Brahmanas, that _tirtha_ was made by Darbhi in days
of old. Without doubt, by vows, by investiture of the sacred, by fasts,
by rites and by _Mantras_, one becometh a Brahmana. O bull among men, it
hath been seen, however, by learned persons of old that even one
destitute of rites and _Mantras_, by only bathing in that _tirtha_
becometh learned and endued with the merit of vows. Darbhi had also
brought hither the four oceans. O best of men, one that batheth here,
never meeteth with distress hereafter and obtaineth also the merit of
giving away four thousand kine. One should next repair, O virtuous one,
to the _tirtha_ called _Satasahasraka_. Near to this is another called
_Sahasraka_. Both are celebrated, and one that batheth in them,
obtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand kine. Fasts and gifts
there multiply a thousandfold. One should next proceed, O king, to the
excellent _tirtha_ called _Renuka_. One should bathe there and worship
the _Pitris_ and the gods. By this, cleansed from every sin, he
obtaineth the merit of the _Agnishtoma_ sacrifice. Bathing next in the
_tirtha_ called _Vimochana_ with passions and senses under control, one
is cleansed from all the sins generated by the acceptance of gifts. With
senses under control and practising the Brahmacharya mode of life, one
should next repair to the woods of Panchavati. By a sojourn thither, one
earneth much virtue and becometh adored in the regions of the virtuous.
One should next go to the _tirtha_ of _Varuna_ called _Taijasa_, blazing
in effulgence of its own. There in that _tirtha_ is the lord of Yoga,
Sthanu himself, having for his vehicle the bull. He that sojourneth
there, obtaineth success by worshipping the god of gods. It was there
that the gods with Brahma at their head and Rishis endued with wealth of
asceticism, installed Guha as the generalissimo of the celestials. To
the east of that _tirtha_ is another, O perpetuator of Kuru race, that
is called Kuru _tirtha_. With senses under control and leading a
Brahmacharya mode of life, he that bathes in _Kuru-tirtha_, becometh
cleansed of all his sins and obtaineth the region of Brahma. With
subdued senses and regulated diet one should next proceed to
_Svargadwara_. Sojourning thither, one obtaineth the merit of the
_Agnishtoma_ sacrifice and goeth to the abode of Brahma. The pilgrim
should then, O king, proceed to the _tirtha_ called _Anaraka_. Bathing
there, O king, one never m