Dhaumya Describes the Sacred Places of the East

Verse 1 (3.85.1)

तान्सर्वानुत्सुकान्दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवान्दीनचेतसः । आश्वासयंस्तथा धौम्यो बृहस्पतिसमोऽब्रवीत् ॥

tānsarvānutsukāndṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavāndīnacetasaḥ | āśvāsayaṃstathā dhaumyo bṛhaspatisamo'bravīt

Seeing all the Pandavas longing and downcast, Dhaumya, the equal of Brihaspati, comforted them and spoke.

Note on the text: Corrected अश्वासयंस्तथा → आश्वासयंस्तथा (misprint in Wikisource; अ for आ; the critical edition reads āśvāsayaṃs). तथा for tadā is a variant and is kept.

Verse 2 (3.85.2)

ब्राह्मणानुमतान्पुण्यानाश्रमान्भरतर्षभ । दिशस्तीर्थानि शैलांश्च शृणु मे वदतोऽनघ ॥

brāhmaṇānumatānpuṇyānāśramānbharatarṣabha | diśastīrthāni śailāṃśca śṛṇu me vadato'nagha

Hear from me, O bull of the Bharatas, O sinless one, as I tell of holy hermitages approved by brahmins, of the regions, the sacred fords and the mountains.

Note on the text: Wikisource prints no speaker heading; verse 1 introduces Dhaumya's reply, and his words fill verses 2–28 (the next adhyaya opens with 'धौम्य उवाच'), so they are given to Dhaumya rather than to Vaishampayana. वदतोऽनघ for gadato nṛpa is a variant and is kept.

Verse 3 (3.85.3)

याञ्श्रुत्वा गदतो राजन्विशोको भवितासि ह । द्रौपद्या चानया सार्धं भ्रातृभिश्च नरेश्वर ॥

yāñśrutvā gadato rājanviśoko bhavitāsi ha | draupadyā cānayā sārdhaṃ bhrātṛbhiśca nareśvara

Hearing me tell of them, O king, you will be freed from sorrow, together with Draupadi here and your brothers, O lord of men.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); it appears in the apparatus as 3.85.2d*0455, lines 1–2.

Verse 4 (3.85.4)

श्रवणाच्चैव तेषां त्वं पुण्यमाप्स्यसि पाण्डव । गत्वा शतगुणं चैव तेभ्य एव नरोत्तम ॥

śravaṇāccaiva teṣāṃ tvaṃ puṇyamāpsyasi pāṇḍava | gatvā śataguṇaṃ caiva tebhya eva narottama

By merely hearing of them you will gain merit, Pandava, and by going to them a hundred times as much, O best of men.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); it appears in the apparatus as 3.85.2d*0455, lines 3–4.

Verse 5 (3.85.5)

शृणु पूर्वां दिशं राजन्देवर्षिगणसेविताम् । रम्यां ते कथयिष्यामि युधिष्ठिर यथास्मृति ॥

śṛṇu pūrvāṃ diśaṃ rājandevarṣigaṇasevitām | ramyāṃ te kathayiṣyāmi yudhiṣṭhira yathāsmṛti

Hear first, O king, of the eastern region, frequented by hosts of divine seers; I shall describe its delights to you as I remember them, Yudhishthira.

Note on the text: शृणु पूर्वां, देवर्षि- and कथयिष्यामि for pūrvaṃ prācīṃ, rājarṣi- and kīrtayiṣyāmi are variants and are kept.

Verse 6 (3.85.6)

तस्यां देवर्षिजुष्टायां नैमिषं नाम भारत । यत्र तीर्थानि देवानां पुण्यानि च पृथक् पृथक् ॥

tasyāṃ devarṣijuṣṭāyāṃ naimiṣaṃ nāma bhārata | yatra tīrthāni devānāṃ puṇyāni ca pṛthak pṛthak

In that region, beloved of the divine seers, lies Naimisha, O Bharata, where the gods have their holy fords, each set apart.

Note on the text: Corrected रदेवर्षिजुष्टायां → देवर्षिजुष्टायां (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र; the critical edition reads devarṣijuṣṭāyāṃ) and restored a missing word space (यत्रतीर्थानि → यत्र तीर्थानि).

Verse 7 (3.85.7)

यत्र सा गोमती पुण्या रम्या देवर्षिसेविता । यज्ञभूमिश्च देवानां शामित्रं च विवस्वतः ॥

yatra sā gomatī puṇyā ramyā devarṣisevitā | yajñabhūmiśca devānāṃ śāmitraṃ ca vivasvataḥ

There is the holy and lovely Gomati, frequented by divine seers, and the sacrificial ground of the gods, and the slaughter-ground of Vivasvat's son, where the victims of sacrifice were offered.

Verse 8 (3.85.8)

तस्यां गिरिवरः पुण्यो गयो राजर्षिसत्कृतः । शिवं ब्रह्मसरो यत्र सेवितं त्रिदशर्षिभिः ॥

tasyāṃ girivaraḥ puṇyo gayo rājarṣisatkṛtaḥ | śivaṃ brahmasaro yatra sevitaṃ tridaśarṣibhiḥ

In that region is Gaya, the holy best of mountains, honoured by royal seers, where lies the auspicious Brahmasaras, frequented by gods and seers.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (यत्रसेवितं → यत्र सेवितं).

Verse 9 (3.85.9)

यदर्थे पुरुषव्याघ्र कीर्तयन्ति पुरातनाः । एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्रा यद्येकोऽपि गयां व्रजेत् ॥

yadarthe puruṣavyāghra kīrtayanti purātanāḥ | eṣṭavyā bahavaḥ putrā yadyeko'pi gayāṃ vrajet

It is for its sake, O tiger among men, that the ancients declare: "One should wish for many sons, so that even one of them may go to Gaya,

Note on the text: Corrected यद्येकोपि → यद्येकोऽपि (misprint in Wikisource; a missing avagraha; the critical edition reads yady eko 'pi).

Verse 10 (3.85.10)

गौरीं वा वरयेत्कन्यां नीलं वा वृषमुत्सृजेत् । उत्तारयति संतत्या दश पूर्वान्दशावरान् ॥

gaurīṃ vā varayetkanyāṃ nīlaṃ vā vṛṣamutsṛjet | uttārayati saṃtatyā daśa pūrvāndaśāvarān

or marry a maiden in her girlhood, or set free a dark bull; such a son, through his offspring, carries across ten generations before him and ten after."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Its apparatus has the second line, with a different first line (yajeta vāśvamedhena), as 3.85.7d*0456.

Verse 11 (3.85.11)

महानदी च तत्रैव तथा गयशिरो नृप । यत्रासौ कीर्त्यते विप्रैरक्षय्यकरणो वटः ॥

mahānadī ca tatraiva tathā gayaśiro nṛpa | yatrāsau kīrtyate viprairakṣayyakaraṇo vaṭaḥ

There too is the Mahanadi, O king, and likewise Gayashiras, where the brahmins tell of the banyan that makes offerings imperishable,

Note on the text: The critical edition's 3.85.8ab–cd (नृप for 'nagha, a variant, kept); the alignment missed it because Wikisource divides these verses differently.

Verse 12 (3.85.12)

यत्र दत्तं पितृभ्योऽन्नमक्षय्यं भवति प्रभो । सा च पुण्यजला तत्र फल्गुनामा महानदी ॥

yatra dattaṃ pitṛbhyo'nnamakṣayyaṃ bhavati prabho | sā ca puṇyajalā tatra phalgunāmā mahānadī

where food given to the ancestors becomes imperishable, my lord; and there is the great river named Phalgu, with its holy waters.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (यत्रदत्तं → यत्र दत्तं). The first line is the critical edition's 3.85.8ef, the second its 3.85.9ab (तत्र for yatra, a variant, kept); the alignment missed it because Wikisource divides these verses differently.

Verse 13 (3.85.13)

बहुमूलफला चापि कौशिकी भरतर्षभ । विश्वामित्रोऽध्यगाद्यत्र ब्राह्मणत्वं तपोधनः ॥

bahumūlaphalā cāpi kauśikī bharatarṣabha | viśvāmitro'dhyagādyatra brāhmaṇatvaṃ tapodhanaḥ

And there, O bull of the Bharatas, is the Kaushiki, rich in roots and fruits, where Vishvamitra, rich in austerities, attained the rank of a brahmin.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 3.85.9cd–ef (अध्यगात् for 'bhyagāt, a variant, kept); the alignment missed it because Wikisource divides these verses differently.

Verse 14 (3.85.14)

गङ्गा यत्र नदी पुण्या यस्यास्तीरे भगीरथः । अयजत्तत्र बहुभिः क्रतुभिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः ॥

gaṅgā yatra nadī puṇyā yasyāstīre bhagīrathaḥ | ayajattatra bahubhiḥ kratubhirbhūridakṣiṇaiḥ

There is the holy river Ganga, on whose bank Bhagiratha offered many sacrifices rich in gifts to the priests.

Note on the text: Restored two missing word spaces (यत्रनदी → यत्र नदी, तत्रबहुभिः → तत्र बहुभिः). तत्र for tāta is a variant and is kept.

Verse 15 (3.85.15)

पाञ्चालेषु च कौरव्य कथयन्त्युत्पलावतम् । विश्वामित्रोऽयजद्यत्र शक्रेण सह कौशिकः ॥

pāñcāleṣu ca kauravya kathayantyutpalāvatam | viśvāmitro'yajadyatra śakreṇa saha kauśikaḥ

Among the Panchalas, O Kauravya, they speak of Utpalavata, where Vishvamitra the Kaushika sacrificed together with Shakra.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 3.85.11ab–cd; the alignment missed it because Wikisource divides these verses differently.

Verse 16 (3.85.16)

यत्रानुवंशं भगवाञ्जामदग्न्यस्तथा जगौ । विश्वामित्रस्य तां दृष्ट्वा विभूतिमतिमानुषीम् ॥

yatrānuvaṃśaṃ bhagavāñjāmadagnyastathā jagau | viśvāmitrasya tāṃ dṛṣṭvā vibhūtimatimānuṣīm

There the blessed son of Jamadagni sang a verse in praise of his lineage, on seeing Vishvamitra's more than human glory.

Note on the text: Corrected चिभूतिम् → विभूतिम् (misprint in Wikisource; च for व; the critical edition reads vibhūtim). The first line is the critical edition's 3.85.11ef, the second its 3.85.12ab; the alignment missed it because Wikisource divides these verses differently.

Verse 17 (3.85.17)

कान्यकुब्जेऽपिबत्सोममिन्द्रेण सह कौशिकः । ततः क्षत्रादपाक्रामद्ब्राह्मणोऽस्मीति चाब्रवीत् ॥

kānyakubje'pibatsomamindreṇa saha kauśikaḥ | tataḥ kṣatrādapākrāmadbrāhmaṇo'smīti cābravīt

At Kanyakubja the Kaushika drank soma with Indra; then he passed beyond the warrior order and declared, "I am a brahmin."

Note on the text: Corrected ब्राह्मणोस्मीति → ब्राह्मणोऽस्मीति (misprint in Wikisource; a missing avagraha; the critical edition reads brāhmaṇo 'smīti). The critical edition's 3.85.12cd–ef (कान्यकुब्जे for kanyakubje, a spelling variant, kept); the alignment missed it because Wikisource divides these verses differently.

Verse 18 (3.85.18)

पवित्रमृषिभिर्जुष्टं पुण्यं पावनमुत्तमम् । गङ्गायमुनयोर्वीर संगमं लोकविश्रुतम् ॥

pavitramṛṣibhirjuṣṭaṃ puṇyaṃ pāvanamuttamam | gaṅgāyamunayorvīra saṃgamaṃ lokaviśrutam

Holy, frequented by seers, meritorious, purifying and supreme is the confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna, O hero, famed throughout the world,

Verse 19 (3.85.19)

यत्रायजत भूतात्मा पूर्वमेव पितामहः । प्रयागमिति विख्यातं तस्माद्भरतसत्तम ॥

yatrāyajata bhūtātmā pūrvameva pitāmahaḥ | prayāgamiti vikhyātaṃ tasmādbharatasattama

where in the beginning the Grandsire, the soul of all beings, offered sacrifice; and for that reason, O best of the Bharatas, it is known as Prayaga.

Verse 20 (3.85.20)

अगस्त्यस्य तु राजेन्द्र तत्राश्रमवरो नृप । तत्तथा तापसारण्यं तापसैरुपशोभितम् ॥

agastyasya tu rājendra tatrāśramavaro nṛpa | tattathā tāpasāraṇyaṃ tāpasairupaśobhitam

There, O king of kings, is the excellent hermitage of Agastya, and likewise the Forest of Ascetics, graced by ascetics.

Note on the text: The first line is the critical edition's 3.85.15ab (नृप for mahān, a variant, kept); the second is not in its constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; it appears in the apparatus as 3.85.15b*0457). The alignment missed it because Wikisource divides these verses differently.

Verse 21 (3.85.21)

हिरण्यबिन्दुः कथितो गिरौ कालञ्जरे महान् । आगस्त्यपर्वतो रम्यः पुण्यो गिरिवरः शिवः ॥

hiraṇyabinduḥ kathito girau kālañjare mahān | āgastyaparvato ramyaḥ puṇyo girivaraḥ śivaḥ

Great Hiranyabindu is spoken of on Mount Kalanjara; and lovely is the Agastya mountain, a holy and auspicious best of mountains.

Note on the text: Corrected पर्वतोरभ्यः → पर्वतो रम्यः (misprint in Wikisource; भ for म and a missing word space) and गिरिवः → गिरिवरः (misprint; a dropped र; the critical edition reads girivaraḥ). The first line is the critical edition's 3.85.15cd (महान् for nṛpa, a variant, kept); the second replaces its 3.85.16ab (atyanyān parvatān rājan …, which Wikisource's own note records as another reading); the alignment missed it because Wikisource divides these verses differently.

Verse 22 (3.85.22)

महेन्द्रो नाम कौरव्य भार्गवस्य महात्मनः । अयजत्तत्र कौन्तेय पूर्वमेव पितामहः ॥

mahendro nāma kauravya bhārgavasya mahātmanaḥ | ayajattatra kaunteya pūrvameva pitāmahaḥ

There is Mahendra, O Kauravya, the mountain of the great-souled Bhargava, where of old, Kaunteya, the Grandsire offered sacrifice;

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (अयजत्तत्रकौन्तेय → अयजत्तत्र कौन्तेय). The first line is the critical edition's 3.85.16cd, the second its 3.85.17ab (तत्र for yatra, a variant, kept); the alignment missed it because Wikisource divides these verses differently.

Verse 23 (3.85.23)

यत्र भागीरथी पुण्या सरस्यासीद्युधिष्ठिर । यत्र सा ब्रह्मशालेति पुण्याख्याता विशांपते । धूतपाप्मभिराकीर्णा पुण्यं तस्याश्च दर्शनम् ॥

yatra bhāgīrathī puṇyā sarasyāsīdyudhiṣṭhira | yatra sā brahmaśāleti puṇyākhyātā viśāṃpate | dhūtapāpmabhirākīrṇā puṇyaṃ tasyāśca darśanam

where the holy Bhagirathi dwelt in the lake, Yudhishthira; where the holy place called Brahmashala is famed, O lord of the people, thronged by those whose sins are shaken off—and holy is the very sight of it.

Note on the text: Corrected पुण्यां → पुण्या (misprint in Wikisource; a stray anusvara on the adjective of the nominative भागीरथी; the critical edition reads puṇyā) and restored a missing word space (यत्रभागीरथी → यत्र भागीरथी). सरस्यासीत् ('was in the lake', as Wikisource's own note explains) for sadasyāsīt is a variant and is kept. The first line is the critical edition's 3.85.17cd, the other two its 3.85.18; the alignment missed it because Wikisource divides these verses differently.

Verse 24 (3.85.24)

पवित्रो मङ्गलीयश्च ख्यातो लोके सनातनः । केदारश्च मतङ्गस्य महानाश्रम उत्तमः ॥

pavitro maṅgalīyaśca khyāto loke sanātanaḥ | kedāraśca mataṅgasya mahānāśrama uttamaḥ

There is Matanga's Kedara, his great and excellent hermitage, pure and auspicious, ancient and famed in the world.

Verse 25 (3.85.25)

कुण्डोदः पर्वतो रम्यो बहुमूलफलोदकः । नैषधस्तृषितो यत्र जलं शर्म च लब्धवान् ॥

kuṇḍodaḥ parvato ramyo bahumūlaphalodakaḥ | naiṣadhastṛṣito yatra jalaṃ śarma ca labdhavān

There is the lovely mountain Kundoda, rich in roots, fruits and water, where the Naishadha, parched with thirst, found water and rest.

Verse 26 (3.85.26)

यत्र देववनं पुण्यं तापसैरुपशोभितम् । बाहुदा च नदी यत्र नन्दा च गिरिमूर्धनि ॥

yatra devavanaṃ puṇyaṃ tāpasairupaśobhitam | bāhudā ca nadī yatra nandā ca girimūrdhani

There is the holy Devavana, graced by ascetics, and the river Bahuda, and the Nanda on the mountain-top.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (यत्रनन्दा → यत्र नन्दा). पुण्यं for ramyaṃ is a variant and is kept.

Verse 27 (3.85.27)

तीर्थानि सरितः शैलाः पुण्यान्यायतनानि च । प्राच्यां दिशि महाराज कीर्तितानि मया तव ॥

tīrthāni saritaḥ śailāḥ puṇyānyāyatanāni ca | prācyāṃ diśi mahārāja kīrtitāni mayā tava

These are the sacred fords, rivers, mountains and holy shrines of the eastern region, great king, that I have described to you.

Verse 28 (3.85.28)

तिसृष्वन्यासु पुण्यानि दिक्षु तीर्थानि मे शृणु । सरितः पर्वतांश्चैव पुण्यान्यायतनानि च ॥

tisṛṣvanyāsu puṇyāni dikṣu tīrthāni me śṛṇu | saritaḥ parvatāṃścaiva puṇyānyāyatanāni ca

Now hear from me of the holy fords in the other three regions, and of their rivers, mountains and holy shrines.