Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 87

Mahabharata - Vana Parva

Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Section 89:English

SECTION LXXXIX Sacred spots in the west

"Dhaumya continued, 'I shall describe to thee those sacred spots capable of producing merit that lie on the west, in the country of the

• Avanti (अवन्ति) (III.87.1), O Bharata, there, flows in a westward course the sacred river
• Narmada (नर्मदा) (III.87.2), graced by Priyangu and mango trees, and engarlanded with thickest of canes. All the tirthas and sacred spots, and rivers and woods and foremost of mountains that are in the three worlds, all the gods with the Grandsire, along with the Siddhas, the Rishis and the Charanas, O best of the Kurus, always come, O Bharata, to bathe in the sacred waters of the Narmada. And it hath been heard by us that the sacred asylum of the Muni
• Visravas (विश्रवस) (III.87.3), had stood there, and that there was born the lord of treasures,
• Kuvera (कुबेर) (III.87.3), having men for his vehicles. There also is that foremost of hills, the sacred and auspicious
• Vaidurya (वैडूर्य) (III.87.4) peak abounding with trees that are green and which are always graced with fruit and flowers. O lord of the earth, on the top of that mountain is a sacred tank decked with full-blown lotus and resorted to by the gods and the Gandharvas. Many are the wonders, O mighty monarch, that may be seen on that sacred mountain which is like unto heaven itself and which is visited by celestial Rishis. There, O subjugator of hostile cities, is the sacred river called
• Viswamitra (विश्वा मित्र) (III.87.7) belonging to the royal sage of that name and which abounds, O king, in many sacred tirthas. It was on the banks of this river, that
• Yayati (ययाति) (III.87.8), the son of
• Nahusha (नहुष) (III.87.8), (fell from heaven) among the virtuous, and obtained once more the eternal regions of the righteous. Here also are the well-known lake called
• Punya-hrada (पुण्यह्रद) (III.87.9), the mountain called
• Mainaka (मैनाक) (3.87.9), and that other mountain called
• Asita (असित) (III.87.9) abounding in fruits and roots. And here also is the sacred asylum of
• Kakshasena (कक्षसेन) (III.87.10), and O Yudhishthira, the asylum of
• Chyavana (चयवनस्याश्रम) (III.87.10) also, which is famed over every country, O son of Pandu! In that spot, O exalted one, men attain to (ascetic) success without severe austerities. Here also, O mighty king, is the region called
• Jamvumarga (जम्बू मार्ग) (III.87.11), inhabited by birds and deer, and which constitutes the retreat of ascetics with souls under control, O thou foremost of those that have subdued their senses! Next lie the exceedingly sacred
• Ketumala (केतुमाल) (III.87.12), and
• Medhya (मेध्य) (III.87.12) ever graced with ascetics, and, O lord of earth,
• Gangaranya (गङ्गारण्य) (3.87.12), and the well-known woods of
• Saindhava (सैन्धवारण्य) (III.87.13) which (p. 203) are sacred and inhabited by the regenerate ones. There also is the celebrated tank of the Grandsire, called
• Pushkara (पुष्कर) (III.87.13), the favourite abode of the Vaikanasas, and Siddhas and Rishis. Moved by the desire of obtaining its protection, the Creator sang this verse at Pushkara, O chief of the Kurus and foremost of virtuous men! If a person of pure soul purposes a pilgrimage to the Pushkaras in imagination even, he becometh purged from all his sins and rejoiceth in heaven!'"

Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 87:Sanskrit

1 [धौम्य]
     अवन्तिषु परतीच्यां वै कीर्तयिष्यामि ते दिशि
     यानि तत्र पवित्राणि पुण्यान्य आयतनानि च
 2 परियङ्ग्वाम्रवनॊपेता वानीर वनमालिनी
     परत्यक्स्रॊता नदी पुण्या नर्मदा तत्र भारत
 3 निकेतः खयायते पुण्यॊ यत्र विश्रवसॊ मुनेः
     जज्ञे धनपतिर यत्र कुबेरॊ नरवाहनः
 4 वैडूर्य शिखरॊ नाम पुण्यॊ गिरिवरः शुभः
     दिव्यपुष्पफलास तत्र पादपा हरितछदाः
 5 तस्य शैलस्य शिखरे सरस तत्र च धीमतः
     परफुल्लनलिनं राजन देवगन्धर्वसेवितम
 6 बह्वाश्चर्यं महाराज दृश्यते तत्र पर्वते
     पुण्ये सवर्गॊपमे दिव्ये नित्यं देवर्षिसेविते
 7 हरदिनी पुण्यतीर्था च राजर्षेस तत्र वै सरित
     विश्वा मित्र नदी पारा पुण्या परपुरंजय
 8 यस्यास तीरे सतां मध्ये ययातिर नहुषात्मजः
     पपात स पुनर लॊकाँल लेभे धर्मान सनातनान
 9 तत्र पुण्यह्रदस तात मैनाकश चैव पर्वतः
     बहुमूलफलॊ वीर असितॊ नाम पर्वतः
 10 आश्रमः कक्षसेनस्य पुण्यस तत्र युधिष्ठिर
    चयवनस्याश्रमश चैव खयातः सर्वत्र पाण्डव
    तत्राल्पेनैव सिध्यन्ति मानवास तपसा विभॊ
11 जम्बू मार्गॊ महाराज ऋषीणां भावितात्मनाम
    आश्रमः शाम्यतां शरेष्ठ मृगद्विजगणायुतः
12 ततः पुण्यतमा राजन सततं तापसायुता
    केतुमाला च मेध्या च गङ्गारण्यं च भूमिप
13 खयातं च सैन्धवारण्यं पुण्यं दविजनिषेवितम
    पिता मह सरः पुण्यं पुष्करं नाम भारत
    वैखानसानां सिद्धानाम ऋषीणाम आश्रमः परियः
14 अप्य अत्र संस्तवार्थाय परजापतिर अथॊ जगौ
    पुष्करेषु कुरुश्रेष्ठ गाथां सुकृतिनां वर
15 मनसाप्य अभिकामस्य पुष्कराणि मनस्विनः
    पापाणि विप्रणश्यन्ति नाकपृष्ठे च मॊदते