धौम्य उवाच दक्षिणस्यां तु पुण्यानि शृणु तीर्थानि भारत। विस्तरेण यथाबुद्धि कीर्त्यमानानि तानि वै॥
Dhaumya said: O descendant of Bharata, I shall describe to you in detail according to my knowledge the sacred Tirthas of the south. Listen to them.
यस्यामाख्यायते पुण्या दिशि गोदावरी नदी। बहरामा बहुजला तापसाचरिता शिवा॥
In this quarter lies the sacred and auspicious river Godavari which is full of much water, which abounds in groves and which is frequented by the ascetics.
वेणा भीमरथी चैव नद्यौ पापभयापहे। मृगद्विजसमाकीर्णे तापसालयभूषिते॥
In this place also are the rivers Vena and Bhimarathi, both capable of destroying sin and fear, both abounding in birds and deer and are graced with the abodes of ascetics.
राजर्षेस्तस्य च सरिनृगस्य भरतर्षभ। रम्यतीर्था बहुजला पयोष्णी द्विजसेविता॥
O best of the Bharata race, in this region, is also the Tirtha of the royal ascetic, called Nriga, namely the river Payashini which is charming and which is full of water and which is frequented by Brahmanas.
अपि चात्र महायोगी मार्कण्डेयो महायशाः। अनुवंश्यां जगौ गाथां नृगस्यधरणीपतेः॥ मृगस्य यजमानस्य प्रत्यक्षमिति नः श्रुतम्। अमाद्यदिन्द्रः सोमेन दक्षिणाभिर्द्विजातयः॥ पयोष्ण्यां यजमानस्य वाराहे तीर्थ उत्तमे। उद्धृतं भूतलस्थं वा वायुना समुदीरितम्। पयोष्ण्या हरते तोयं पापमामरणान्तिकम्॥
In this place the greatly illustrious and mighty Yogi, Markandeya sang the praises of the king Nriga and of his family. We have heard of the sacrificing king Nriga; we have heard also that which really took place when he was perforining a sacrifice in the excellent Tirtha called Varaha on the Payoshini. In that sacrifice Indra became intoxicated with Soma and the Brahmanas with the gifts which they received. The water of the Payaoshini, taken up (in vessel) or flowing along the ground or conveyed by the wind, can cleanse a person from whatever sins he may commit till the day of his death.
स्वर्गादुत्तुङ्गममलं विषाणं यत्र शूलिनः। स्वमात्मविहितं दृष्ट्वा मर्त्यः शिवपुरं व्रजेत्॥
Higher than heaven itself, created and bestowed by the trident wielding deity (Shiva) there in that pure Tirtha, seeing the image of the deity one goes to the region of Shiva.
गङ्गाद्याः सलिलोच्चयाः। पयोष्णी चैकतः पुण्या तीर्थेभ्यो हि मता मम॥ एकतः सरितः सर्वा
Placing on the one scale Ganga and all the other rivers with their waters and on the other, the Payoshini, the latter in my opinion would be superior in point of merit to all the Tirthas put together.
माठरस्य वनं पुण्यं बहुमूलफलं शिवम्। यूपश्च भरतश्रेष्ठ वरुणस्रोतसे गिरौ॥
O best of the Bharata race, on the mountain, called Varuna Srotasa is the sacred and auspicious forest of Mathara abounding in fruits and roots and containing a sacrificial stake.
प्रवेण्युत्तरमार्गे तु पुण्ये कण्वाश्रमे तथा। तापसानामरण्यानि कीर्तितानि यथाश्रुति॥
It is said that in the region north of it (Payoshini) and near the sacred hermitage of Kanva are many forests inhabited by the ascetics.
वेदी शूर्पारके तात जगदग्नेर्महात्मनः। रम्या पाषाणतीर्था च पुनश्चन्द्रा च भारत॥
O child, O descendant of Bharata, in the charming Tirtha called Shurparaka, are the two sacrificial platforms of the high-souled son of Jamadagni called Pashana and Punashchandra.
अशोकतीर्थं तत्रैव कौन्तेय बहुलाश्रयम्। अगस्त्यतीर्थं पाण्ड्येषु वारुणं च युधिष्ठिर॥ कुमार्यः कथिताः पुण्याः पाण्ड्येष्वेव नरर्षभ। ताम्रपर्णी तु कौन्तेय कीर्तयिष्यामि तां शृणु॥
O son of Kunti, in this place, is the Tirtha called Ashoka abounding in many hermitages. O Yudhishthira, in the Pandya country are the Tirthas called Agastya and Varuna. O foremost of men, O son of Kunti, among the Pandyas, there is the Tirtha called Kumari, Hear, I shall now describe Tamraparia.
यत्र देवैस्तपस्तप्तं महदिच्छद्भिराश्रमे। गोकर्ण इति विख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत॥
In this hermitage, the celestials had undergone penances with the desire of obtaining salvation. In this region is also Gokarna celebrated over the three worlds.
शीततोयो बहुजलः पुण्यस्तात शिव: शुभः। ह्रदः परमदुष्प्रापो मानुषैरकृतात्मभिः॥
O child, it is full of cool water, it is auspicious, sacred and capable of giving great merit. That lake is inaccessible to men of unpurified souls.
तत्र वृक्षतृणाद्यैश्च सम्पन्नः फलमूलवान्। आश्रमोऽगस्त्यशिष्यस्य पुण्यो देवसमो गिरिः॥
Near to that Tirtha is the sacred hermitage of Agastya's disciple, the mountain Devasama which abounds in trees and grass and fruits and roots.
वैदूर्यपर्वतस्तत्र श्रीमान् मणिमयः शिवः। अगस्त्यस्याश्रमश्चैव बहुमूलफलोदकः॥
There is also the Vaidurya mountain which is delightful and which abounds in gems and which is capable of bestowing great merit. There (on that mountain) is the hermitage of Agastya abounding in fruits, roots and water.
सुराष्ट्रेष्वपि वक्ष्यामि पुण्यान्यायतनानि च। आश्रमान् सरितश्चैव सरांसि च नराधिप॥
O ruler of men, I shall now describe the sacred spots and hermitages, rivers and lakes, situated in the Saurashtra country.
चमसोद्भेदनं विप्रास्तत्रापि कथयन्त्युत। प्रभासं चोदधौ तीर्थं त्रिदशानां युधिष्ठिर॥
O Yudhishthira, the Brahmanas say that on the sea-coast is the Chamasodbhedana and also Prabhasa, the Tirtha which is adored by the celestials.
तत्र पिण्डारकं नाम तापसाचरितं शिवम्। उज्जयन्तश्च शिखरी क्षिप्रं सिद्धिकरो महान्॥
There is also the Tirtha called Pindarka, frequented by ascetics and capable of producing great merit. In this region is the great mountain Ujjyayanta which produces great success.
तत्र देवर्षिवर्येण नारदेनानुकीर्तितः। पुराणः श्रूयते श्लोकस्तं निबोध युधिष्ठिर॥
O Yudhishthira, the celestials Rishi Narada of great intelligence has recited an ancient sloka about it. Listen to it.
पुण्ये गिरौ सुराष्ट्रेषु मृगपक्षिनिषेविते। उज्जयन्ते स्म तप्ताङ्गो नाकपृष्ठे महीयते॥
He who performs austerities on the sacred hill, Ujjyayanta in Saurashtra, abounding in birds and beasts, is adored in the celestials region.
पुण्या द्वारवती तत्र यत्रासौ मधुसूदनः। साक्षाद् देवः पुराणोऽसौ स हिधर्मः सनातनः॥
There is also Daravati which produces great merit and in which lives the slayer of Madhu who is the ancient one in embodied form and who is eternal virtue.
ये च वेदविदो विप्रा ये चाध्यात्मविदो जनाः। ते वदन्ति महात्मानं कृष्णंधर्म सनातनम्॥
The Brahmanas, learned in the Vedas and persons verscd in the philosophy of the soul say that the illustrious Krishna is eternal virtue.
पवित्राणां हि गोविन्दः पवित्रं परमुच्यते। पुण्यानामपि पुण्योऽसौ मङ्गलानां च मङ्गलम्। त्रैलोक्ये पुण्डरीकाक्षो देवदेवः सनातनः॥ अव्ययात्मा व्ययात्मा च क्षेत्रज्ञः परमेश्वरः। आस्ते हरिरचिन्त्यात्मा तत्रैव मधुसूदनः॥
Govinda is said to be the pure of all pure things, the righteous of the righteous and the auspicious of the auspicious. In all the three worlds, the lotus-eyed god of gods is eternal. He is the pure soul; he is the supreme Brahma and he is the lord of all. That slayer of Madhu of inconceivable soul lives there.