Agnitlrtha, Viranjana, Svargatirtha etc.

Yudhishthira said:

1. Having heard this description of Prayaga which you have given, my heart has become very pure. O revered Sir, tell me what kind of fruit (a man gets) by fasting. Markandeya said:

2-4. O king, O lord, listen to the fruit of fasting which a wise man who has faith, obtains. He becomes one who has no defect in any limb, is free from diseases, and endowed with (i.e. has his) five senses (intact). When he walks, at every step he gets the fruit of a horse sacrifice. O king, he liberates his ten predecessors and ten successors in the family. He is freed from all sins and would go to the highest position. Yudhisthira said:

5-6. O pious one, you are illustrious. O lord, (please) tell me (about) gifts. By small, but the best (gift) a man would obtain many virtues (i.e. much religious merit). In this world a man gets (an opportunity to perform) the horse sacrifice due to great religious merit. Please remove this doubt of mine. I have a great curiosity. Markandeya said:

7-10. O king, O great hero, listen to what formerly Brahma told in the presence of (i.e. to) the sages, which I heard when it was being told. The region of Prayaga is five yojanas extensive. He who enters that region, has (performed) the horse sacrifice at every step. A man who would cast his life (there), liberates all the seven predecessors and fourteen successors of his. Knowing like this, O lord of kings, a man should be full of faith. Men who have no faith and whose hearts are smitten with sins, do not obtain (i.e. reach) the (holy) place Prayaga, fashioned by gods.

Yndhisthira said:

11-12. How would they who through affection, or through greed for wealth have gone under the sway of lust, obtain the fruit of (visiting) a holy place, and how would they obtain religious merit? O great sage, tell (me) what position will he who not knowing what ought and what ought not to be done, sells all (kinds of) wares, have at Prayaga. Markandeya said:

13-19. O king, listen to the great secret which destroys all sins. O lord of kings, it is told by the self-born god (i.e. Brahma) that a man who with his senses controlled lives in Prayaga for a month, is freed from all sins. He, being pure and controlled, being harmless and endowed with faith, is freed from all sins, and would go to the highest position (i.e. salvation). Listen to the fruit that those who murder those who confide in them, get at Prayaga. He should bathe three times a day; he should eat what is obtained by begging. There is no doubt that after three months he is liberated from Prayaga. He who would go on a pilgrimage knowingly, being endowed with all desired objects, is honoured in heaven. He secures a place which is full of wealth and grains. Thus perfect with knowledge he enjoys pleasures. He has liberated (i.e. he liberates) his manes and great-grandfathers from hell. O you who know the essential principle, I have told you, who are again and again asking me piously, the ancient secret for your good. Yudhisthira said:

20. Today my existence is fruitful. Today my family is successful. Today, just by seeing you, I am pleased, I am favoured. O religious-minded one, merely by seeing you, I am freed from all sins. Markandeya said:

21. Fortunately your existence is fruitful. Fortunately you have liberated your family. By narrating (the description of a holy place etc.) religious merit enhances. Hearing it destroys sins.

Yudhisthira said:

22. O great sage, tell me about the religious merit (obtained by bathing) in Yamuna. Tell me all this as you have seen and heard. Markandeya said:

23-26. (The place) where Yamuna, the illustrious goddess, the daughter of the Sun, and well-known in the three worlds, has come (is holy). Yamuna goes (i.e. flows) along the same course as Ganga has flowed out. Merely by mentioning her (name) within (a distance of) thousands of yojanas she destroys sins. Having bathed in that Yamuna and having drunk (her water), (and) by mentioning (her name) a man obtains religious merit, and by seeing her he sees (i.e. gets) good fortune. When (a man) bathes (in her stream) and drinks (her water), she purifies the family up to the seventh (descendant). He who casts his life there, goes to the highest position (i.e. salvation).

27-32a. On the right bank of Yamuna, there is (a holy place) called Agnitlrtha. To the west is the holy place of Dharmaraja known as Haravara. Having bathed there men go to heaven. Those who die there are not reborn. Thus there are thousands of holy places on the right bank of Yamuna. I shall tell you (about those that are situated) on the left (bank). Of the magnanimous Aditya the holy place is Virafijana, where, O Yudhisthira, gods along with Indra, always offer the daily prayer. Gods and other wise men resort to that holy place. Having great faith take a bath at the holy place. There are many other holy places. All remove sins and are auspicious. Having bathed there men go to heaven. Those who die there, are not reborn.

32b-36. The fruits of both Ganga and Yamuna are equal. Ganga is worshipped everywhere merely by her being senior. Thus, O son of KuntI, have a bath at Svargatirtha. Just at that moment (when a man bathes there), the sin committed by him during his life, perishes. He who getting up at daybreak recites or listens to (the description of the holy place), is freed from all sins, and goes to heaven.

 

CHAPTER FORTYSIX

⇐ Предыдущая123124125126127128129130131132Следующая ⇒

Поделиться: