Verses 1199-1300

1208. Seeing the image erected formerly in Magadha by Prthu - the son of Vena - a man obtains the merit of (performing) Pundarika.

1209-10. And by seeing the auspicious image called Asramasvami, erected by Bhrgu on Grdhrakuta and brought down from the hill to the vicinity of his place, by the high- minded Rama - the son of Bhrgu - one is freed from all sins. There is no doubt herein.

1211. Gonanda(asked): "Why was the image constructed by Bhrgu, brought down from Grdhrakuta - the best of the mountains - to the vicinity of his own hermitage ?"

1212. On account of the murder of his father (committed by Haihaya Ksatriyas), Rama - the oppressor of the Ksatriyas - made the earth devoid of Ksatriyas for twenty- one times.

1213. O best of the kings, at the time of the 21st massacre, some Ksatriyas reached the hilly fort in Kasmira.

1214-16. O lord of the earth, being excessively angry, Rama pursued and killed them. From amongst them also, a few Ksatriyas escaped death and leaving Kasmira due to his fear, reached where there is the river Madhumati and the other Rajanirmala. Even then Rama overtook them and angrily pulled them down.

1217-18. Having killed all the Ksatriyas, he,with his hands drenched in blood, erected an image of the high-souled Kesava. (That image) called Rajavasa is famous in all the worlds. By sceing that, a king quickly obtains success in his undertakings.

1219. As Rama had erected that image in a mood of violence so Hari is always present there in a fierce mood.

1220. Human beings also worship Him with a feeling of violence and as a result of this feeling (they worship Him) daily with such actions as the killing of animals.

1221. O lord of the earth, having excavated, at first, pits (filled) with the blood of Ksatriyas, the pious Rama also went to Kuruksetra.

1222-24. That destroyer of the royal enemies obtained pleasure after worshipping the forefathers in those (pits). The pleased forefathers addressed him thus: "O long- armed Rama, deviate yourself from this act and go on a holy pilgrimage. As you have killed the kings who were frightend and had taken flight, your body has become sinful with that sin. Hence, O son, go to the holy places for purifying yourself.

1225-26. Till you become possessed of a purified body, O son, the fast sticking blood would not disappear from your hands. When both your hands become free from blood, then having become purified, you should practise penance as may please you.

1227. O king, addressed thus and honoured by the forefathers, Rama went then, as a pilgrim, to all the holy places.

1228. Then, he went to Kasmira and baving bathed in all the holy places, he reached near Grdhrakuta.

1229. After a bath at the place where the Suddha and the Sarasvati meet, the hands of Rama became purified.

1230-31. Rama also gave to that place, a boon, viz. "After taking bath at this holy spot, a man will give up all his sins. With his body purified, he shall attain the world as is accessible to the Bhrgus." Thus the tormentor of the armies of the enemies purged of sin.

1232. He practised hard penance after arrirving at Pathesvara and thereafter anived as the river Punyoda which had originated from the Brahmasara.

1233. When the high-minded Rama performed austerities there, the river became famous on the earth, by the name Ramahrada.

1234. Having performed austerities there, for a year, Rama went for penance to the foot of Grhrakuta.

1235-36, Not far from the place where his hands had attained purity and not far from the Punyoda, there is the abode of the high-souled Naga king Ananta. (Rama) performed hard penance there and erected the image of the god Sarngi.

1237-38. While Rama of unwearied activity was staying there, a good Brahmana went to see Asramasvami. He took a cow along with him to offer to that god. She breathed her last there on tbe hard way on that mountain.

1239. O lord of the earth, the Brahmana also - immersed in repentance - came back with a mind full of grief and sorrow, after leaving the cow.

1240-41. Persistent in piety, that Vasistha (Brahmana) went to the hermitage of Rama and related all that bad happened, to the high-souled Rama. Then Rama, seeing with his celestial sight, said to him.

1242. "O best among the twice-borns, this charming celestial woman born in heaven deceived, in the guise of a cow, Narada - the heavenly sage. 1243-44. Having come to know this, he cursed her and she became your cow. Further, he pronounced the end of the curse thus: "While being carried by the cow-owner, to the mountain Grdhrakuta, you shall give up the body and again turn into a nice fairy.

1145. O twice-born, she has been freed from the curse by you, so no sin accrues to you. By my favour you shall be endowed with the merit of the gift of a cow.

1146. Go and see your own lord of the gods living in Asrama. By his sight you shall be freed from all the sins.

1247. I, too, with a desire to do good to the world, shall bring that image here, by propitiating Madhusudana - the best among the gods.

1248. O Brahmana, people often worship that Hari with the gift of cow and the cows suffer a lot while climbing up the hill.

1249. O chief among the twice-borns, there would not be (any suffering), when the image is brought here." Then, that descendant of Bhrgu practised penance at that very place.

1250-1252. Then, O king, at the end of the year, he saw with his celestial sight, pleased Madhusudana, standing in front, resembling a heap of snow (due to being) adorned with white clothes, decorated with a crown of the hue of the sun and with earrings, four-faced, four-armed, accompanied by the abode of the four Vedas, and with cries of victory pronounced by weapons endowed with human bodies. Seeing Madhusudana, O king, he praised him thus.

1253. Salutation to you, O lord of the gods of the gods, destroyer of the sufferings of those who prostrate (before you).

1254. Salutation to you who are possessed of four forms, endowed with a bulky body, abode of four Vedas, long-armed, finder of the cow, (earth), lotus-eyed and having Varaha and other incarnations.

1255. Bearing the earth on the front part of the jaws, crushing the mountains into pieces, you are Varaha by whom this world is held constantly.

1256. Salutation to you, O Man-lion - surrounded by garlands of flames - who broke forth the chest of Hiranyakasipu with the tips of nails.

1257. Salutation to you - the god who took three steps - desirous of victory. Salutation to you, O lord, possessed of the head of a horse and with face embellished with Soma.

1258-60. O god, you are the final resort of all the gods when they are in suffering. The senses, the objects of of senses, the gross physical elements, the mind, the intellect, the soul, avyakta born of Purusa, sattva, rajas, tamas, Brahma, Visnu, Mahesvara, the three worlds including movables and immovables, all this is pervaded by you. I do not see anything else than yourself in the three worlds.

1261. O god, it was through your strength that I killed, on the earth, the Ksatriyas and one crore highly strong Saimhikeyas.

1262. Obeisance to you, O lord of the gods, O minutest among the rninute and the greatest among the great, O lover of the daughter of the ocean, O assumer of forms at your own will !

1263-64. O giver of desired wishes, O destroyer of sins, honoured by the enemy of Kama, praised continually by the btus-born (Brahma) by means of four mouths, cause of the causes of the world, how should I praise you? O praisod one, O lord of the three worlds, O master, salutation to you by all means !

1265-66. 0 god, salutation to you on sides; O lord, salutation to you all around i.e. on the mountains, in the seas, in the worlds and in the sky. Salutation to you, salutation to you, salutation to you everywhere."

1267. Eulogized thus by Rama, Janardana said to him: "O long-armed Rama - possessed of good vow - ask for a boon.

1268. O child possessed of a good vow, with your valour, penance and this hymn of praise, I am pleased as much as of none else."

1269. Rama (spoke): "O lord, I want to bring here, the image erected by Bhrgu, firom the peak of Grdhrakuta Your honour may permit me for that."

1270. The god spoke: O best arnong the Bhrgus, I have bestowed a favour upon you. Do as you like, so that the people may be freed from sin without any suffering.

1271. Brhadasva (said): Having spoken thus, the lord Visnu disappeared. Rama also brought down that image from Grdhrakuta.

1272. He erected with devotion that image which belonged to him, midway between Ananta and Kuta. By seeing that, a man obtains the merit of (performing) Pundarika.

1273. Shining with austerities, Rama also went to Mahendra Mountain, after giving the earth to Kasyapa, in the great sacrifice (called) Vajimedha.

1274. O well-versed in piety, thus was the auspicious image brought by Rama, from Grdhrakuta - the best of the mountains - to the vicinity of his hermitage.

1275. Gonanda (said): "O best among the narrators and possessed of unlimited intelligence, tell me ( about ) the sacred places situated near this country and also the merit which accrues from each."

1276-77. Brhadasva (spoke): "By climbing up the Grdhrakuta one gets the merit of (the gift of) one thousand cows and goes to heaven (by bathing) in the confluence of the Vitasta and the Madhumati.

By climbing up the Indrakila, one obtains the merit of (the gift of) one thousand cows. Having reached the river Kumunari, one is freed from all sins by taking bath therein.

1278-79. One gets the merit of (the gift of) one thousand cows (by bathing in) the confluence of the Krsna and the Vitasta and gets the merit of performing Vahnistoma by seeing Cakresa erected by Sandilya on the bank of the Madhumati.

One gets the fulfilment of one's cherished desire by seeing Durga.

1280. There flows also the river named Sandili - the destroyer of sins. By taking bath in that, one becomes free from sins and goes to heaven.

1281. The man who takes bath in the confluence of the Sandili and the Madhumati, is freed from all sins and goes to heaven.

1282. Through a sight of Hari (called) Rajavasa, one obtains one's desired object and after reaching Rajovinirmala, one is freed from sins by taking bath (therein).

1283. Uma, in her monthly course for the 1st time, took bath therein. Through a sight of Gaurisikhara one obtains the world of the Moon.

1284. O king, at first her hue was like that of a blue lotus but by performing penance there, she obtained heart- enchanting fair complexion.

1285. O giver of honour, it is highly strange indeed that even in the dark half (of the month), the human beings continually see that hill endowed as it were with moonlight.

1286. By plunging separately in the Telala and in the holy Bhurjala, one gets the merit equal to that of (the gift of) hundred cows.

1287-88a. By taking bath in the confluence of these two, one obtains the merit of (performing) Vajapeya. O king, it is stated by the sages that for him who bathes in the confluence of these two and the Madhumati, there accrues the holy merit of the gift of an elephant.

1288b-89. Having reached the charming source of the Madhumati, one is freed from all the sins and is honoured in the world of Rudra.

By bathing in Uttaramanasa, one gets the merit of (the gift of) thousand cows.

1290. The forefathers who are satiated at that place have fulfilment of cherished desires. By bathing in the (lake of) Haramunda, one gets the merit of (the gift of) ten cows.

1291-92. By climbing up Haramunda, a man obtains the merit of (performing) Rajasuya sacrifice.

Fallen from the moon, Ganga - the best of the rivers - is situated there, by taking bath in which, all sins are certainly washed away.

At the confluence of Ganga and Manasa, one acquires the merit of (performing) Rajasuya.

1293. By taking bath in Devatirtha, a man reaches Uttaramanasa.

In the Agastya (lake) constructed by the Valakhilyas, one becomes equal to the sages, in lustre.

1294-95. Having reached Kalodaka, Nandikunda, Sankha, Cakra, Gada, Padma, Kapilatirtha, the holy places of Vatika and Sandika, the holy places of the nymphs and the highest Brahma and Krpanitirtha, one gets at each, the merit of (the gift of) hundred cows.

1296. All the sins are completely washed away by bathing at the place where the river originated from Manasa meets Kalodaka.

1297. Holy are the wives of the gods. Suryasara is remembered tobe holy; Tarasara, Candrasara and the great Kalusaka are holy.

1298-99. O lord of the earth, there is the holy place of the sacrifice of Brahma. By seeing every one of these, namely, Sakratirtha, Devatirtha and Brahmanakundi katirtha, one obtains the merit of (the gift of) a hundred cows. Having reached Hamsadvara, one certainly attains heaven.

1300. Having arrived at the source of the Sindhu, one gets the merit of (performing) Rajasuya, and by bathing in Bindusara one gets that of (performing) Pundarika.