वैशम्पायन उवाच तान् सर्वानुत्सुकान् दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवान् दीनचेतसः। आश्वासयंस्तथाधौम्यो बृहस्पतिसमोऽब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said : Seeing all the Pandavas afflicted with anxiety and depressed in spirits, Dhaumya who was like Brihaspati himself, thus comforted them and spoke to them.
ब्राह्मणानुमतान् पुण्यानाश्रमान् भरतर्षभ। दिशस्तीर्थानि शैलांश्च शृणु मे वदतोऽनघ॥
Dhaumya said : O best of the Bharata race, O sinless one, listen to me as I mention some of the sacred hermitages, regions and Tirthas and mountains that are approved of by the Brahmanas.
याञ्छ्रुत्वा गदतो राजन् विशोको भवितासि हो द्रौपद्या चानया सार्धं भ्रातृभिश्च नरेश्वर॥
O king, O ruler of men, hearing which you with Draupadi and your brothers will be freed from all grief.
श्रवणाच्चैव तेषां त्वं पुण्यमाप्स्यसि पाण्डव। गत्वा शतगुणं चैव तेभ्य एव नरोत्तम॥
O son of Pandu, only hearing of them you will acquire great merit. But going to them, O foremost of men, you will get merit hundred times greater.
पूर्वं प्राची दिशं राजन् राजर्षिगणसेविताम्। रम्यां ते कथयिष्यामि युधिष्ठिर यथास्मृति॥
O king, O Yudhishthira, I shall first speak of the charming eastern country ever frequented by the royal Rishis, as far as I recollect.
तस्यां देवर्षिजुष्टायां नैमिषं नाम भारत। यत्र तीर्थानि देवानां पुण्यानि च पृथक् पृथक्॥
O descendant of Bharata, in that country there is a Tirtha ever frequented by the celestials Rishis called Naimisha. In that Tirtha there are several separate Tirthas sacred to the celestials.
यत्र सा गोमती पुण्या रम्या देवर्षिसेविता। यज्ञभूमिश्च देवानां शामित्रं च विवस्वतः॥
Here flows the charming and sacred Gomati, ever adored by the celestials Rishis; here is the sacrificial ground of the celestials and the sacrificial stake of Vivasvata (sun).
तस्यां गिरिवरः पुण्यो गयो राजर्षिसत्कृतः। शिवं ब्रह्मसरो यत्र सेवितं त्रिदशर्षिभिः॥
Here there is also that foremost of hills, the sacred Gaya, adored by the celestials Rishis, where there is the auspicious lake of Brahma, frequented by the celestials.
यदर्थे पुरुषव्याघ्र कीर्तयन्ति पुरातनाः। एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्रा योकोऽपि गयां व्रजेत्॥ यजेत वाश्वमेधेन नीलं वा वृषमुत्सृजेत्। उत्तारयति संतत्या दशपूर्वान् दशावरान्॥
O foremost of men, it is for this reason the ancients say that inen should desire for many sons, so that one (son) at least among them may go to Gaya. May perform the horsesacrifice and may give away a Nila bull and thus deliver ten generations of his race upwards and downwards.
महानदी च तत्रैव तथा गयशिरो नृप। यत्रासौ कीर्त्यते विगैरक्षय्यकरणो वटः॥
O king, there is a great river and there is also Gayashira and there is a banian tree called by the Brahmanas eternal.
यत्र दत्तं पितृभ्योऽन्नमक्षय्यं भवति प्रभो। सा च पुण्यजला तत्र फल्गु म महानदी॥ बहुमूलफला चापि कौशिकी भरतर्षभ। विश्वामित्रोऽध्यगाद् यत्र ब्राह्मणत्वं तपोधनः॥
O lord, food offered here to the Pitris becomes everlasting. There flows the great river of sacred water called by the name of Falgu. O best of Bharata race, there is also in this place the Kaushika abounding in various fruits and roots where the great ascetic Vishvamitra attained to Brahmanhood.
गङ्गा यत्र नदी पुण्या यस्यास्तीरे भगीरथः। अयजत् तत्र बहुभिः क्रतुभिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः॥
Here there is the river, the sacred Ganges; on the banks of Bhagirathi were performed many sacrifices with large Dakshinas (gift).
पञ्चालेषु च कौरव्य कथयन्त्युत्पलावनम्। विश्वामित्रोऽयजद् यत्र पुत्रेण सह कौशिकः॥
O descendant of Kuru, they say that in the country of Panchala, there is a forest, called Utpala, in which the descendant of Kaushika, Vishvamitra with his son performed his sacrifices.
यत्रानुवंशं भगवाञ्जामदग्न्यस्तथा जगौ। विश्वामित्रस्य तां दृष्ट्वा विभूतिमतिमानुषीम्॥
And where seeing the relics of Vishvamitra's superhuman power, Rama, the son of Jamadagni, recited the praises of his ancestor.
कान्यकुब्जेऽपिबत् सोममिन्द्रेण सह कौशिकः। ततः क्षत्रादपाक्रामद् ब्राह्मणोऽस्मीति चाब्रवीत्॥
At Kanyakubja, the descendant of Kaushika (Vishvamitra) drank the Soma with Indra. Then abandoning Kshatriya order, he said "I am a Brahmana."
पवित्रमृषिभिर्जुष्टं पुण्यं पावनमुत्तमम्। गङ्गायमुनयोर्वीर संगमं लोकविश्रुतम्॥
O hero, there is the sacred confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna celebrated all over the world. Sacred and sin destroying it is ever adored by the holy Rishis.
यत्रायजत भूतात्मा पूर्वमेव पितामहः। प्रयागमिति विख्यातं तस्माद् भरतसत्तम॥
O best of the Bharata race, in this place, the soul of creatures, the Grandsire (Brahma) formerly performed his sacrifices. It is hence called Prayaga.
अगस्त्यस्य तु राजेन्द्र तत्राश्रमवरो नृप। तत् तथा तापसारण्यं तापसैरुपशोभितम्॥
O king of kings, O ruler, there is that foremost of hermitages of Agastya and also the forest called Tapasa graced by the presence of ascetics.
हिरण्यबिन्दुः कथितो गिरौ कालञ्जरे महान्। आगस्त्यपर्वतो रम्यः पुण्यो गिरिवरः शिवः॥
There is also Hiranyabindu on the great Kalanjara mountain and also that foremost of hills Agastya which is charming sacred and auspicious.
महेन्द्रो नाम कौरव्य भार्गवस्य महात्मनः। अयजत् तत्र कौन्तेय पूर्वमेव पितामहः॥
O descendant of Kuru, there is also the hill called Mahendra, sacred to the high-souled descendant of Bhrigu (Rama), where in the days of yore the Grandsire (Brahma) performed his sacrifices.
यत्र भागीरथी पुण्या सरस्यासीद् युधिष्ठिर। यत्र सा ब्रह्मशालेति पुण्या ख्याता विशाम्पते॥ धूतपाप्मभिराकीर्णा पुण्यं तस्याश्च दर्शनम्।
O king, O Yudhishthira, in this place the Bhagirathi enters a lake, where there is also the sacred river known by the name of Brahmashala. The very sight of which produces great virtue and the banks of which are inhabited by men whose sins are destroyed.
पवित्रो मङ्गलीयश्च ख्यातो लोके महात्मनः॥ केदारश्च मतङ्गस्य महानाश्रम उत्तमः। कुण्डोदः पर्वतो रम्यो बहुमूलफलोदकः॥ नैषधस्तृषितो यत्र जलं शर्म च लब्धवान्।
There is also the sacred, auspicious, celebrated, great and excellent hermitage of the high-souled Matanga, called Kedara. There is also the charming Kundoda mountain which abounds in many fruits, roots and water, where the king of the Nishadas (Nala) had satisfied his thirst and rested for a while.
यत्र देववनं पुण्यं तापसैरुपशोभितम्॥ बाहुदा च नदी यत्र नन्दा च गिरिमूर्धनि।
In this place is also the charming Devavana, grand with the presence of ascetics. In this place also are rivers Bahuda and Nanda on the top of the mountains.
तीर्थानि सरितः शैलाः पुण्यान्यायतनानि च॥ प्राच्यां दिशि महाराज कीर्तितानि मया तव। तिसृष्वन्यानि पुण्यानि दिक्षु तीर्थानि मे शृणु। सरितः पर्वतांश्चैव पुण्यान्यायतनानि च॥
O great king, I have described to you all the Tirthas, the rivers, the mountains and sacred spots. that are to be seen in the eastern country. Now hear of the sacred Tirthas, rivers, mountains and holy spots in the other three quarters.