ndeed, what is that which is
destructive of sins?"'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'In this connection, the royal son of Santanu, O
foremost of men, duly recited the names of the deities unto Yudhishthira
who was desirous of hearing.'

"'Bhishma said, "O son, the following names of the deities with those of
the Rishis, if duly recited morning, noon, and evening, become
efficacious cleansers of all sins. Acting with the aid of one's senses
(or knowledge and action), whatever sins one may commit by day or by
night or by the two twilights, consciously, or unconsciously one is sure
to be cleansed therefrom and become thoroughly pure by reciting these
names. One that takes those names has never to become blind or deaf;
indeed, by taking those names, one always succeeds in attaining to what
is beneficial. Such a man never takes birth in the intermediate order of
beings, never goes to hell, and never becomes a human being of any of the
mixed castes. He has never to fear the accession of any calamity. When
death comes, he never becomes stupefied. The master of all the deities
and Asuras, resplendent with effulgence, worshipped by all creatures,
inconceivable, indescribable, the life of all living beings, and unborn,
is the Grandsire Brahma, the Lord of the universe. His chaste spouse is
Savitri. Then comes that origin of the Vedas, the creator Vishnu,
otherwise called Narayana of immeasurable puissance. Then comes the
three-eyed Lord of Uma; then Skanda the generalissimo of the celestial
forces; then Visakha; then Agni the eater of sacrificial libations; then
Vayu the god of wind; then Chandramas; then Aditya the god of the sun,
endued with effulgence; then the illustrious Sakra the lord of Sachi; and
Yama with his spouse Dhumorna; and Varuna with Gauri; Kuvera the lord of
treasures, with his spouse Riddhi; the amiable and illustrious cow
Surabhi; the great Rishi Visravas; Sankalpa, Ocean, Ganga; the other
sacred Rivers; the diverse Maruts; the Valkhilyas crowned with success of
penances; the island-born Krishna; Narada; Parvata; Viswavasu; the Hahas;
the Huhus; Tumvuru; Chitrasena; the celestial messenger of wide
celebrity; the highly blessed celestial maidens, the celestial Apsaras,
Urvasi, Menaka, Rambha; Misrakesi, Alamvusha, Viswachi, Ghritachi,
Panchachuda, Tilottama; the Adityas, the Vasus, the Aswins, the Pitris;
Dharma (Righteousness); Vedic lore, Penances, Diksha, Perseverance (in
religious acts), the Grandsire, Day and N