Vaishampayana said: -
1. Seeing all the Pandavas afflicted with anxiety and depressed in spirits, Dhaumya who was like Brihaspati himself, thus comforted them and spoke to them.
Dhaumya said: -
2. O best of the Bharata race, O sinless one, listen to me as I mention some of the sacred hermitages, regions and Tirthas and mountains that are approved of by the Brahmanas.
3. O king, O ruler of men, hearing which you with Draupadi and your brothers will be freed from all grief.
4. O son of Pandu, only hearing of them you will acquire great merit. But going to them, O foremost of men, you will get merit hundred times greater.
5. O king, O Yudhisthira, I shall first speak of the charming eastern country ever frequented by the royal Rishis, as far as I recollect.
6. O descendant of Bharata, in that country there is a Tirtha ever frequented by the celestials Rishis called Naimisha. In that Tirtha there are several separate Tirthas sacred to the celestials.
7. Here flows the charming and sacred Gomati, ever adored by the celestials Rishis; here is the sacrificial ground of the celestials and the sacrificial stake of Vivaswata (sun).
8. Here there is also that foremost of hills, the sacred Gaya, adored by the celestials Rishis, where there is the auspicious lake of Brahma, frequented by the celestials.
9. O foremost of men, it is for this reason the ancients say that men should desire for many sons, so that one (son) at least among them may go to Gaya.
10. May perform the horse-sacrifice and may give away a Nila bull and thus deliver ten generations of his race upwards and downwards.
11. O king, there is a great river and there is also Gayashira and there is a banian tree called by the Brahmanas eternal.
12. O lord, food offered here to the Pitris becomes everlasting. There flows the great river of sacred water called by the name of Falgu.
13. O best of Bharata race, there is also in this place the Kaushika abounding in various fruits and roots where the great ascetic Vishvamitra attained to Brahmanhood.
14. Here there is the river, the sacred Ganges; on the banks of Bhagirathi were performed many sacrifices with large Dakshinas (gift).
15. O descendant of Kuru, they say that in the country of Panchala, there is a forest, called Utpala, in which the descendant of Kaushika, Vishvamitra with his son performed his sacrifices.
16. And where seeing the relics of Vishvamitra’s superhuman power, Rama, the son of Jamadagni, recited the praises of his ancestor.
17. At Kamyaka, the descendant of Kaushika (Vishvamitra) drank the Soma with Indra. Then abandoning Kshatrya order, he said “I am a Brahmana.”
18. O hero, there is the sacred confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna celebrated all over the world. Sacred and sin destroying it is ever adored by the holy Rishis.
19. O best of the Bharata race, in this place, the soul of creatures, the Grandsire (Brahma) formerly performed his sacrifices. It is hence called Prayaga.
20. O king of kings, O ruler, there is that foremost of hermitages of Agastya and also the forest called Tapasa graced by the presence of ascetics.
21. There is also Hiranyabindu on the great Kalanjara mountain and also that foremost of hills Agastya which is charming sacred and auspicious.
22. O descendant of Kuru, there is also the hill called Mahendra, sacred to the high-souled descendant of Bhrigu (Rama), where in the days of yore the Grandsire (Brahma) performed his sacrifices.
23. O king, O Yudhisthira, in this place the Bhagirathi enters a lake, where there is also the sacred river known by the name of Brahmashala.
24-25. The very sight of which produces great virtue and the banks of which are inhabited by men whose sins are destroyed. There is also the sacred, auspicious, celebrated, great and excellent hermitage of the high-souled Matanga, called Kedara. There is also the charming Kundoda mountain which abounds in many fruits, roots and water,
26-28. Where the king of the Nishadas (Nala) had satisfied his thirst and rested for a while. In this place is also the charming Devavana, grand with the presence of ascetics.
27-28. In this place also are rivers Bahuda and Nanda on the top of the mountains. O great king, I have described to you all the Tirthas, the rivers, the mountains and sacred spots, that are to be seen in the eastern country. Now hear of the sacred Tirthas, rivers, mountains and holy spots in the other three quarters.
Thus ends the eighty seventh chapter, Dhaumya’s description of Tirthas in the Tirthayatra of the Vana Parva.