Skandapurana 3.1.21

Glorious Sūta said:

In the sacred ford named Jaṭātīrtha, which destroys all sins,

having bathed and purified his mind, one should then go to Lakṣmītīrtha. // 1

Whatever desire aiming at which, O best of brahmins,

a mortal performs bathing in Lakṣmītīrtha, that very desire he obtains. // 2

It dispels severe poverty, bestows great abundance of grain,

allays great suffering, and greatly increases fortune. // 3

Having bathed here, Dharmaputra attained great sovereignty,

formerly while dwelling in Indraprastha, urged by glorious Kṛṣṇa. // 4

The seers said:

How Dharmaputra attained sovereignty from plunging into Lakṣmītīrtha

by Kṛṣṇa's instruction, tell us that, O great sage! // 5

Glorious Sūta said:

In Indraprastha of old, O brahmins, directed by Dhṛtarāṣṭra,

the five Pāṇḍavas dwelt, possessing great strength and prowess. // 6

At one time Kṛṣṇa went to Indraprastha to see them.

Beholding him arrived, those Pāṇḍavas, eagerly expectant, // 7

brought him to their home, filled with supreme joy.

That Kṛṣṇa lived there for some time in that best of cities. // 8

Once Yudhiṣṭhira, having called Kṛṣṇa and worshipped him,

asked the lotus-eyed Vāsudeva, lord of the world: // 9

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, O deeply wise one! By which virtue do human beings

attain great sovereignty? Tell us that, O wise one!

Thus addressed by the son of Dharma, Kṛṣṇa spoke to Yudhiṣṭhira. // 10

Glorious Kṛṣṇa said:

O son of Dharma, highly fortunate one, on Mount Gandhamādana // 11

there is a celebrated [ford] named Lakṣmītīrtha, the sole cause of sovereignty.

Perform bathing there; sovereignty will belong to you. // 12

By bathing there, prosperities of wealth and grain increase,

all rivals perish, and their martial power increases. // 13

In ancient times the gods bathed in the merit-bestowing sacred ford bearing the name of Lakṣmī;

they attained all sovereignty through that merit, O son of Dharma, // 14

and swiftly slew the asuras of great valour in battle.

The earth, fortune, and righteousness will belong to men bathing in that sacred ford // 15

in a very short time indeed; do not have doubt in this regard.

Just as sovereignty is obtained through austerities, sacrifices, gifts, and blessings, O Pāṇḍava, // 16

[likewise is it obtained] from plunging into Lakṣmītīrtha.

All sins are destroyed, O brahmins, and always meet their end,

and diseases are eliminated through resorting to Lakṣmītīrtha.

Immense welfare is obtained in this world; of this there is no doubt.

Merely by bathing in this sacred ford of Lakṣmī, O son of Dharma,

the king obtained Rambhā, the foremost of apsarases, without slaughter.

Having bathed in this holy sacred ford, Kubera, whose vehicle is a man,

became the master of the treasures, foremost among which is the Mahāpadma.

Therefore you too, O king of kings, at the auspicious Lakṣmītīrtha,

having bathed surrounded by your younger brothers headed by Vṛkodara,

will obtain great fortune and also conquer your enemies.

No doubt should be entertained here, O son of my father's sister, born of Dharma.

Thus addressed by Kṛṣṇa, this son of Dharma, of wondrous sight,

went quickly with his younger brothers to Mount Gandhamādana.

Having then gone to Lakṣmītīrtha, the cause of great sovereignty,

Yudhiṣṭhira bathed there with his younger brothers, observing vows.

In the water of Lakṣmītīrtha, which destroys all sins,

he bathed with his younger brothers for one month according to the rules.

He gave many cows, lands, sesamum seeds, gold, and other gifts to brahmins.

Then that son of Dharma went with his younger brothers to Indraprastha.

Yudhiṣṭhira then desired to perform the Rājasūya sacrifice.

Wishing to sacrifice, the son of Dharma summoned Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa, summoned in haste by the messenger of the son of Dharma,

mounted a swift chariot yoked with four horses,

and, accompanied by Satyabhāmā, arrived at Indraprastha.

Seeing him arrive, the son of Dharma, out of great joy,

then disclosed to Kṛṣṇa his undertaking of the Rājasūya.

Kṛṣṇa also assented, saying, “Let it be done precisely so.”

And he spoke words full of reason to the son of Dharma:

“O son of my father's sister, O righteous-souled one, listen to my beneficial words.

This Rājasūya is difficult to perform even for all lords of the earth.

Possessing many hundreds of foot-soldiers, chariots, elephants, and horses,

such a ruler of the earth is fit to perform this sacrifice, none other.

First, the ten directions must be conquered by you who are mighty.

Having collected the best tribute from the vanquished enemies,

with that gold thus produced, this foremost of sacrifices is to be performed.

Knowing what is expedient, I recommend this; I am certainly not frightening you, sir.

Therefore, before commencing the sacrifice, make a conquest of the quarters.”

Then the son of Dharma, hearing Kṛṣṇa's beneficial counsel,

praised the son of Devakī and summoned his own younger brothers.

Having summoned his four brothers, the son of Dharma spoke, gladdening them:

“O Bhīma of mighty arms! O Dhanañjaya of great prowess!

And you two twins of delicate limbs, consecrated for the destruction of enemies!

I wish to perform the unexcelled great sacrifice, the Rājasūya.

And that must be performed after conquering all the lords of the earth in battle.

Therefore, all four of you, accompanied by troops, to conquer the kings,

go to the four quarters, you who are exceedingly heroic.

With the wealth brought by you, I shall perform the great sacrifice.”

Thus respectfully addressed, all the younger brothers of the son of Dharma,

headed by Vṛkodara, becoming cheerful-faced, from the city

the Pāṇḍavas set out in all directions for the conquest of kings.

Having conquered all the many kings situated in the four directions,

bringing those rulers of men under their control, the sons of Pāṇḍu,

taking the manifold, countless, and unsurpassed wealth given by them,

relying upon Kṛṣṇa, swiftly returned to their own city.

Bhīma of great strength and valor arrived there

at the excellent city, having collected a hundred bhāras of gold.

Then Arjuna, having taken a thousand bhāras of gold,

arrived at Śakraprastha, he of great strength and valor.

Likewise, Nakula, having seized a hundred bhāras of gold,

endowed with great splendor, returned to the excellent city of Śakraprastha.

And taking the fourteen golden palm trees given by Vibhīṣaṇa,

and seizing the accumulation of wealth of the southern kings,

Sahadeva too quickly returned to his own city.

Thousands of hundreds of thousands of crores, and hundreds of hundreds of thousands of crores

of gold coins did Kṛṣṇa, the Yādava, give to Dharmaputra.

With such immeasurable vast treasures brought by his younger brothers,

and also with the immeasurable wealth given by Kṛṣṇa, Yudhiṣṭhira,

the Pāṇḍava, taking refuge in Kṛṣṇa, performed the Rājasūya sacrifice, O brahmins.

In that sacrifice, he gave wealth to the brahmins to their heart's content.

There Yudhiṣṭhira distributed foods to the brahmins;

likewise he gave clothes, cows, land, and ornaments.

By however much gold and the like the petitioners were satisfied,

the son of Dharma caused double that amount to be given to them.

So much varied wealth was given to the petitioners

that ten million Brahmās were not able to measure its extent.

Seeing the riches being given away to the petitioners there,

the people truly said: “Ah, all his property has been given by the king!”

Then, seeing the endless treasuries with their infinite jewels and gold,

the people said: “Very little indeed has been given to the petitioners!”

Having thus sacrificed with the Rājasūya, Dharmaputra, along with his younger brothers,

abounding in great wealth, rejoiced in that excellent city.

Through the māhātmya of Lakṣmītīrtha, Dharmaputra Yudhiṣṭhira

obtained all this, O brahmins. Ah, the grandeur of the sacred ford!

This sacred ford is greatly meritorious, destroying great poverty;

it bestows wealth and grain upon men, and destroys great sins.

It annihilates great hells and averts great sorrows.

It bestows liberation and heaven constantly, freeing from great debts;

it gives men a good wife, and it gives good sons.

A sacred ford equal to this sacred ford has never been, nor will ever be.

This has been told to you, O brahmins: the grandeur of Lakṣmītīrtha,

which destroys bad dreams, is meritorious, and accomplishes all desired things.

Whatever man recites this chapter or hears it with devotion

shall become rich in wealth and grain; of this there is no doubt.

Having enjoyed all pleasures here, he shall obtain liberation at the end of the body.

Thus ends the twenty-first chapter, entitled 'Description of Dharmaputra's Attainment of Incomparable Wealth in the Praise of Lakṣmītīrtha', in the Setumāhātmya of the third Brahmakhaṇḍa in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa of eighty-one thousand verses.