Verses 301-400

302. The water of Vitasta mixed with that of Sindhu is like milk mixed with nectar, beauty associated with elegance and knowledge associated with good nature.

303-4. 0 king, she became there such as is bravery associated with humility, piety associated with wealth, clay of high quality refined through purification, Kama associated with mind, gem associated with gold, life associated with health, and profit associated with honour.

305-6. Bound by affection, Tapana's daughter - the goddess Ganga - due to the great respect and devotion for the sage, augmented with her own part the Vitasta, the best of the rivers, the destroyer of all sins. The Sindhu should be regarded as the Ganga and the Vitasta as the Yamuna.

307. The place, where there is the confluence of these two, should be regarded as equal to Prayaga. Appropriating the water of the Ganga, the Yamuna said to the Ganga:

308. "O possessed of beautiful colour, at Prayaga my name is appropriated by you and in Kasmira your name has been appropriated by me."

309. Then the Ganga said to her, "O beautiful one, I must again appropriate your name when I am designated as Sindhu."

310. Having come to know this fact, Sati - the river going in the company of the Sindhu - divided itself and did not go beyond the Himalaya, through the way made with the plough.

311-13. The sage Kasyapa again spoke to her possessed of great fortune: "O beautiful one, you must necessarily go by the way made with the plough, otherwise the whole country will be turned into a lake." Persuaded again and again by Kasyapa, that excellent river went in anger through the way made with plough. So, though clear, she is seen as a dirty one at that place.

314. Kasyapa said: "Assuming the form of a river called Vitasta, O goddess, the daughter of the mountain, you are not a river (but) an ascetic lady, wife of Sarva, even higher than Sarva.

315. May there be happiness for you. You are the daughter of the mountain and on account of (being born) from his body are (called) the mountain-river. O wife of Rudra, you are borne by S'ambhu and being requested, you flow (in the form of a river).

316. Those great sinners also who having offered their bodies to you are gone to heaven are pleased to see their bodies carried away by (your) waves.

317. They are surprised to see their bodies ( and say ), 'We are in heaven, and being in the water, are still sporting in ( the river which is a form of ) Uma.

318. O goddess, the fire of hell for the human beings is pacified with your cool outpourings called waves, born of water-drops and sent forth by the wind.

319. O goddess, born of the mountain, you pacify the fire of three times seven hells for the human beings by means of your waves shining with earthen lamps.

320. Those persons who will take bath in your holy water, shall go to Brahmaloka, even if they have committed Great Sins.

321. Those who bathe even once in your waters, do not see, even in dream, the dreadful tortures of Yama induced by the contraction of his eye-brows.

322. The sages know that for a Brahmana always performing (his) duties, a bath in you is the giver of salvation and a bath in the Ganga is the giver of heaven.

323. Purifyer of even the three worlds, you are possessed of great infiuence. O goddess, you are Uma, the mother of all gods and not a river.

324. O goddess,(you are) the solidity of gods, the goddess Bharati of gods. O river, you are always the satisfaction of all beings on the earth.

325. O goddess, do favour upon me. Engaged in the welfare of this country, go further from this abode with an unannoyed mind.

326. You are half of the body of Hara. You are the wife of the God and not a stream who while running to meet Sindhu have been requested by me.

327. S'ankara alone is your lord and the ocean is not different from Him. Go quickly to your lord S'iva by meeting the ocean.

328. Having heard thus, the goddess again remembered her own saying and becoming eager, made up her mind to go to him.

329. Then, the stream bearing resemblance to a hill of water, went forth with great force, doing as it were the parting of Himalaya's hair.

330 O king, then she joined the goddess Krishna and hundreds and thousands of other nice rivers.

331. Passing through the middle of Svairajakas and a part of Matras, and crossing Bhogaprastha, it joined the Ganga.

332. Verily this sin-destroving Vitasta - the best of the rivers - appeared on the earth in the company of Laksmi, due to the instruction of Kasyapa.

333. O king, (there appeared) also Aditi, Diti, S'aci, the excellent river Ganga and the daughter of the Sun, i.e. Yamuna.

334-35. Living thus in Kasmira the four aeons passed After the completion of those four aeons, at the end of the month of Asvayuj, the human beings went out after having made collections of rice etc.

336 An old good Brahmana named Candradeva - descendant of Kasyapa - did not go out due to despondancy and due to being ordained by future events.

337-38. He was not killed due to the fear of Nikumbha and also for the sake of sport. The Pisacas, then, played with that Brahmana as the little boys (play) with a bird tied to a string. Agitated by the Pisacas, he obtained complete indifference (to worldly objects).

339. Oppressed by the Pisacas and with cold and snow, that old good Brahmana roamed with a perplexed mind and while roaming, he reached (that place) where (lived) that king of the Nagas.

340. At the place where Ananta had formerly fixed his plough, there (existed) since olden times, the highly exalted abode of Nila.

341-42. At that very time, the mighty Nila, the lord of the Nagas, seated on a hice couch under Dhanada, the best of the mountains, was being served by the high-souled Pisaca Nikumbha and highly powerful and dreadful Nagas.

343. The Nagas and the Naga-maidens who had made their abodes in Kasmira, waited in large numbers upon that Naga-king.

344. Some of the Nagas were praising the king, the others were fanning (him), while others, again, were waiting upon him, the pious one seated on an excellent couch.

345-50. Seeing in their midst, Nila, resembling a mass of black antimony, shining forth with his ear-rings and the diadem of sun-like colour, adorned with one garment shining like the lightening, and the China-silk resembling the rays of the moon, shining due to a variegated canopy decorated all around with rows of little bells and due to seven hundred terrible snake-hoods radiant with jewels and surrounded by garlands of effulgence spread forth by gems of the lamps studded with gems, Candradeva thought "This must be Nila." Due to the favour of that mighty lord of the serpents, that twice-born approached the Naga, did obeisance, touches, the earth with his knees and then pronounced the hymn of praise.

351-52. Candradeva said: "Salutation to you, O Nila, sovereign-king of the Nagas, possessed of lustre like that of the blue lotus, resembling a mass of blue clouds, having abode in dark blue waters, you shine, O Naga, with seven hundred hoods, You blaze forth like the seven-horsed sun, with rays.

353. O Nila of dark blue complexion, O lord of the gods, O king of the Nagas, you - chief of the hooded ones, sitting in the sky and called immortal - are seen, as it were, through meditation, by your own gods who are wise and who have subdued sins.

354. O Nila, enthroned like the lord of sacrifice you are propitiated with various rites, for the attainment of salvation, by the Brahmanas who know the meaning of the Vedas and perform proper sacrifices in worldly matters.

355. O lord of the Nagas, the chiefs of the gods recognize you as fire and as the sun in the sky. Shining like fire, O Nila, you accomplish the deeds of your devotees.

356. By me you have been seen as appearing for some reason, though you dwell in all the beings. Then remember. ed, you release me from the great calamity. Salutation to you, O lord of men, protect (this) Brahmana.

357. O Nila, shining with the multitude of water-torrents, you shimmer like Visnu, the lord of the immortals. Being a creator of the creator, you enjoy the company of the lord of Yama and always bow down before Vasudeva.

358. Clad in blue raiment and possessed of blue eyes, O Nila, O lord of the Nagas, even a man of unrestrained senses who contemplates you - the lord of the gods and all pervading like the Ether - is saved by your grace.

359. O Nila, the Vedas have sung about you - the eternal one - as the essence of the Vedas, the object of worship in the fire, the fulfiller of the desires of those who seek salvation and those who are ambitious ( of material gain ).

360. Illumined by you the Brahma is indivisible, pure and the highest. Due to its minuteness, it is called Ether and is even with all the limbs, uncreated.

361. O Akincanya, you, too, have not been able to explain the true essence of that highly minute ( and still ) great one. For being the support of all the elements, you are the great essence of your ownself and of that imperishable one.

362. O Lord of the Naga-kings, Kadru adorned with a thousand sons shines exceedingly by you only as Aditi by Visnu only.

363. O Lord, you alone shine so much with penance and send forth water, snow and showers.

364. O highly pious one, Prajapati Kasyapa - the father of all beings - is adorned exceedingly by having you as a son.

365-66. O Lord, in you there is piety, truth and forbearance. In the wars amongst the gods and the demons, you have slain hundreds and thousands of the demons who were (like) thorns for the gods and the Brahmanas. O mighty one, you are the giver of the boons, worthy of attainment and slayer of the armies of the enemies of the gods.

367. Having compassion on your devotees, you are highly devoted to Janardana, the god of the gods. You are exceedingly dear to Him as is that Naga Vasuki.

368. O Naga, the Dhanada ("Wealth-giver", the name of a mountain) is always your friend as of S'iva. Well-known as the lord of wealth, you give wealth to (your) devotees.

369. You are the refuge of the Nagas as Indra is of the gods. O pious one, know that I am full of devotion for you.

370. Nila said: "Hail to you, O best among the twice. born. O lord of the Brahmanas, Luckily you have approached me and are to be honoured as you have been regarded as a guest by me.

371. Happiness to you ! Ask for a boon which is desired by you and is dear to your heart. Visit my home and stay there as it may please you."

372. Candradeva (spoke): "O best among the Naga-chiefs, you must give me a boon. I ask for a boon and you are worthy of granting that to me.

373. O possessed of terrible prowess, let the human beings live constantly in Kasmira. The people are always oppressed in going away and coming again.

374. Leaving their homes and cities of various sorts, the human beings ... May they live ( here) with your favour. This is the boon I solicit for.

375. Nila (said): " O best among the twice-born, it will be so. Acting upon my instructions received by me from Kesava, the human beings may live here constantly."

376-77. Saying thus, Nila took the Brahmana to his home, worshipped him, fed him properly and told him the practices (to be followed) for living in Kasmira. The Brahmana also lived happily in the home of Nila for six months.

378. When the (full moon night) of Caitra had passed, men poured in from all sides and there came also the king named Virodaya surrounded by many horses and elephants.

379-80. When the human beings had entered, the young Brahmana appointed by Nila approached king Virodaya with hoards of wealth and related to him the whole account. The king also related the whole incident to all the people.

381. Since then, human beings acting upon the instructions of Nila lived happily in Kasmira after constructing houses there.

382. Having constructed various sorts of houses, temples, sacred places, villages and cities, the people lived in that dwelling-place.

383. Since then, very little snow falls in this country and the people always obey the words of Nila.

384. Vaisampayana (said): Told thus by Brhadasva, king Gonanda, possessed of curiosity, asked that sage again:

385. O descendant of Bhrgu, possessed of great lustre, tell me as to which were the holy practices which Nila, formerly, pronounced to Candradeva?

386. Brhadasva ( said): O king, listen attentively to that which the Naga - seated on a couch - told the Brahmana seated on a silver stool.

387. Nila (said): "Having bowed before Hrsikesa Hari the preceptor of Parasara, I shall relate to you the practice (to be followed) for living in Kasmira.

388. O son of Kasyapa, on Asvayuji there comes Nikumbha, after killing in battle, many Pisacas gone to the sea of sand.

389. The full moon night should be celebratcd for his worship. Know that from me.

390. The houses should be white-washed and worshipped. Men, especially the children, must take bath and anoint themselves.

391. Men should not eat anything on that day. Food should be given only to the children and the sick.

392-93. The houses should be worshipped with heaps of leaves along with fruits. Having kindled fire after the rise of the moon, one should worship Rudra, moon, Uma, Skanda, two Nasatyas and Nandi, each one separately with water of honour (argha), garlands and eatable offerings.

394. Then Nikumbha should be worshipped with Krsara (rice mixed with pulse). Men possessed of horses should worship Revanta, the son of Aditya.

395. Persons possessing cows should worship Surabhi and those who have got goats should worship fire.

396. Shepherds should worship the god (Varuna), the lord of waters, and those who own elephants should worship the lord of the Ganas.

397. Having performed sacrifice in the fire amd having worshipped the best Brahmanas, one should worship one's ownself and eat vegetarian food in the company of friends, servants, wife, children etc.

398. That night should be passed by men in the vicinity of fire, amidst all sorts of vocal and instrumental music mingled with the sound of conches.

399-400. O king, (that night) should be passed with good dramatic performances. Then, early in the morning, the persons - well anointed and well adorned - should perform fire-worship and the ceremony of touching auspicious things.