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बलदेवतीर्थयात्रा (baladevatIrthayAtrA)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Baladevatīrthayātrā]
(“Baladeva's visit to the sacred places on the Sarasvatī”
cf. Sārasvataṃ parva). § 615 (Gadā-y.-p.): Vaiśampāyana said: Baladeva first proceeded to Prabhāsa, where Uḍurāj (i.e. Soma), who had been affected with phthisis (yakshman), became freed from his curse, whence its name. Asked by Janamejaya, Vaiśampāyana related Prabhāsotpattikathana (q.v.). Thence Bala-Rāma proceeded to Camasodbheda, where he passed one night and gave away costly gifts. Thence he proceeded to Udapāna (b) (IX, 35--36), and thence to Vinaśana (IX, 36), called so by the Ṛ. because the Sarasvatī has there become invisible from contempt of Śūdras and Ābhīras. Thence to Subhūmika (c), Gandharvāṇāṃ tīrtha (d), Gargasrotas (e)
thence (“smeared in white sandal-paste and attired in blue robes”) to Śaṅkhatīrtha (f)
thence to the Dvaita lake
then, along the southern bank of the Sarasvatī, to Nāgadhanvan (g). Baladeva then set out with his face towards the East, and one after another reached hundreds and thousands of tīrthas that occurred at every step. Bathing in all those tīrthas, and observing fasts, etc., as directed by Ṛ., and giving away wealth in profusion, etc., he (always smeared with white sandal-paste) set out for that spot where the Sarasvatī turns in an eastward direction in order to behold the Ṛ. in the forest of Naimisha (h), and he became filled with wonder. “There, at Kurukshetra, O foremost one of Kuru's race, do thou perform great sacrifices and rites.” Thence Bala-Rāma went to the tīrtha Saptasārasvata (description), resorted to by Vāneyas and other ascetics, where the great ascetic crowned with success (siddhaḥ) performed his penances (IX, 37). Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiśampāyana related the history of Saptasārasvata (i) and Maṅkaṇaka (j) (IX, 38). Having passed one night there, Bala-Rāma went to Auśanasa tīrtha (“the tīrtha of Uśanas”) Kapālamocana
the great muni Mahodara, whose thigh had been seized by the head of a Rā. slain by Rāma [Dāśarathi], was liberated. There Kāvya (i.e. Śukra, Uśanas) had performed tapas, and the whole science of politics and morals (nīti) was revealed to him, while meditating on the war of Dai. and Dā. Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiśampāyana related the story of Mahodara (k). Thence Bala-Rāma went to the abode of Rushaṅgu (l), where Ārshṭisheṇa had formerly undergone austere penances, and where the great muni Viśvāmitra had become a brahman. Then to that tīrtha where Brahmán (Lokapitāmahaḥ) had created the worlds
where the great Ṛ. Ārshṭisheṇa had acquired brahman-hood
where the Ṛ.-ṛ. Sindhudvīpa, the great ascetic Devāpi (both in the Kṛta age, IX, 40, 2294), and the muni Viśvāmitra had obtained brahmanhood (IX, 39). Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiśampāyana related the history of Ārshṭisheṇa (m) and of Viśvāmitra (n). Thence to the abode of Baka, where Dālbhya Baka had practised austerities (IX, 40)
which resounded with the chanting of the Vedas (brahmaghoshair avākīrṇaṃ
B. has Brahmayoner Avākīrṇaṃ “from Br. to Av., ” Nīl.), where the Ṛ. Baka Dālbhya (o) poured the kingdom of Dhṛtarāshṭra Vaicitravīryi (?Vaicitravīryiṇaḥ, genitive) as a libation into the sacrificial fire. In that tīrtha Bṛhaspati also poured libations into the sacrificial fire, by means of flesh, in order to destroy the Asuras, and the As. began to waste away and were destroyed by the gods. Thence to Yāyāta tīrtha, where, at a sacrifice of king Yayāti Nāhusha, the Sarasvatī produced milk and clarified butter, whereafter Yayāti went to heaven. Once again Yayāti performed a sacrifice there, and Sarasvatī gave to each of the brahmans everything for which he cherished a wish
they regarded the gifts as made to them by the king, and praised and blessed him
D. and G. were pleased. Thence Baladeva proceeded to the tīrtha Vasishṭhāpavāha (IX, 41). Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiśampāyana told the history of Vasishṭhāpavāha (p), and why it is so rapid, and the brahmanicide of Indra (s), who was purified by bathing in that tīrtha. Thence Baladeva went to the tīrtha of Soma
where in days of yore Soma had performed the Rājasūyā sacrifice, with Atri for his hotṛ, after which the great battle took place between D. and Dā., Dai., and a Rā., named Tāraka, in which Skanda (Mahāsena) slew Tāraka and obtained the command of the celestial forces
in that tīrtha is a gigantic Aśvattha tree, under whose shade Kārttikeya (Skanda) always resides in person (IX, 43). Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiśampāyana related the investiture of Skanda (u). The tīrtha, where in days of yore Varuṇa, the lord of the waters, had been installed by the celestials, is named Taijasa. Having bathed in that tīrtha and adored Skanda, Bala-Rāma gave gold, etc., to the brahmans
passing one night there, he became cheerful and happy (IX, 44--46). Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiśampāyana related the installation of Varuṇa (v) in a former kalpa. Thence Baladeva (“the slayer of Pralamba”) proceeded to Agnitīrtha, where Agni, disappearing, became concealed in the Śamī wood, wherefore the gods repaired to Brahmán, and asked him to create fire. Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiśampāyana related the story of Agnitīrtha (w). Thence he went to Brahmayoni, where Brahmán had exercised his functions of creation
in days of yore Brahmán, having bathed in that tīrtha with all the gods, created all the tīrthas for the gods, according to due rites. Thence to Kaubera tīrtha, where Ailavila. (i.e. Kubera) (x), having practised austerities, obtained the mastery of all treasures (Dhanādhipatyaṃ), and all kinds of wealth, etc., came to him of their own accord. Rāma there beheld the excellent woods of Kubera. Thence Bala-Rāma went to Badarapācana, where the fruits of every season are always to be found (IX, 47), and where many ascetics and Si. are dwelling. (The story of Badarapācana (y) and of Arundhatī ().) Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiśampāyana related the birth of Śrutāvatī (aa). Then Baladeva proceeded to Indratīrtha (IX, 48). (The history of Indratīrtha (bb).) Thence to Rāmatīrtha (cc), the resort of D. and B.-ṛ. Thence to Yamunātīrtha (dd). Thence Baladeva, adorned with garlands of wild flowers (vanamālī), proceeded to Ādityatīrtha (ee), where also Ṛ. Asita Devala obtained great yoga powers (IX, 49). (The history of Asita Devala (ff).) Thence Bala-Rāma went to the tīrtha of Soma (IX, 50), where Soma had in former days performed the Rājasūya sacrifice, and where the great battle was fought about Tārā (Tārakāmayaḥ). Thence Bala-Rāma proceeded to the tīrtha of the muni Sārasvata, where, during a drought of twelve years, Sārasvata in former days taught the Vedas to many brahmans. Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiśampāyana related the history of Sārasvata (gg) and of Dadhīca (hh). Thence Bala-Rāma proceeded to the tīrtha of the old maiden (vṛddhakanyā) (IX, 51). Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiśampāyana related the story of the vṛddhakanyā (ii). While there, Baladeva heard of the slaughter of Śalya. Having come out of the environs of Samantapancaka (Samantapañcakadvārāt), he enquired of the Ṛ. what was the result of a visit to Kurukshetra, which they told him (IX, 52). (Kurukshetrakathana (kk) (IX, 53).) Having visited Kurukshetra, Bala-Rāma proceeded to a large and exceedingly beautiful hermitage, overgrown with madhūkas, etc., and was told by Ṛ.: Here Vishṇu in days of yore undertook austere penances and performed duly all the eternal sacrifices. Here a brāhmaṇī girl, having from youth observed the vow of brahmacarya, was crowned with success (siddhā), and, in possession of yoga powers, she proceeded to heaven. The beautiful daughter of Śāṇḍilya, a brahmacāriṇī, who had performed penances difficult to women, went to heaven [here], and was worshipped by the gods and brahmans. Baladeva then began his ascent of Himavat, and soon came to the tīrtha Plakshaprasravaṇa, and thence to the tīrtha Kārapavana (PCR. ºvapaº), where he passed one night. &gt
the asylum of Mitra and Varuṇa. From Kārapavana &gt
that spot on the Yamunā where in days of yore Indra, Agni, and Aryaman had obtained great happiness. Then he sat down with Ṛ. and Si. in order to listen to their talk. There came Ṛ. Nārada (ll), and, asked by Bala-Rāma, he told him all that had happened to the Kurus, including the names of those chiefs that had fallen (), and of those that were still alive (), and asked him to go to the field to witness the mace-encounter between Bhīma and Duryodhana, which was to take place that very day. Bala-Rāma then bade farewell, and dismissed all those that had accompanied him to Dvārakā, and descended from Himavat and Plakshaprasravaṇa, and sang a verse in praise of the Sarasvatī. Then he ascended a chariot with goodly steeds, and arrived on the field (IX, 54).