An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s2.50
An Index to the Names in the Mahābhārata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s2.50
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[Baladevatīrthayātrā] (“Baladeva’s visit to the sacred places on the Sarasvatī”; cf. Sārasvatam parva). § 615 (Gadā-y.-p.): Vaiçampāyana said: Baladeva first proceeded to Prabhāsa, where Udurāj (i.e. Soma), who had been affected with phthisis (yakṣhman), became freed from his curse, whence its name. Asked by Janamejaya, Vaiçampāyana related Prabhāsotpattikathana (q.v.). Thence Bala-Rāma proceeded to Camasodbheda, where he passed one night and gave away costly gifts. Thence he proceeded to Udapāna (b) (IX, 35-36), and thence to Vinaçana (IX, 36), called so by the R. because the Sarasvatī has there become invisible from contempt of Çūdras and Ābhiras. Thence to Subhūmika (c), Gandharvaṇām tīrtha (d), Gargasrotas (e); thence (“smeared in white sandal-paste and attired in blue robes”) to Çankhatīrtha (f); thence to the Dvaita lake; then, along the southern bank of the Sarasvatī, to Nāgadhanvan (g). Baladeva then set out with his face towards the East, and one after another reached hundreds and thousands of tīrthas that occurred at every step. Bathing in all those tīrthas, and observing fasts, etc., as directed by R., and giving away wealth in profusion, etc., he (always smeared with white sandal-paste) set out for that spot where the Sarasvatī turns in an eastward direction in order to behold the R. in the forest of Naimiṣha (h), and he became filled with wonder.
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“There, at Kurukṣhetra, O foremost of one of Kuru’s race, do thou perform great sacrifices and rites.” Thence Bala-Rāma went to the tīrtha Saptasārasvata (description), resorted to by Vāneyas and other ascetics, where the great ascetic crowned with success (siddhaḥ) performed his penances (IX, 37). Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiçampāyana related the history of Saptasārasvata (i) and Maṅkaṇaka (j) (IX, 38). Having passed one night there, Bala-Rāma went to Auçanasa tīrtha (“the tīrtha of Uçanas”) Kapālamocana; the great muni Mahodara, whose thigh had been seized by the head of a lū. slain by Rāma [Dāçarathi], was liberated. There Kāvya (i.e. Çukra, Uçanas) had performed tapas, and the whole science of politics and morals (nīti) was revealed to him, while meditating on the war of Dai. and Dā. Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiçampāyana related the story of Mahodara (k). Thence Bala-Rāma went to the abode of Ruṣhaṅgu (l), where Ārṣhṭisheṇa had formerly undergone austere penances, and where the great muni Viçvāmitra had become a brahman. Then to that tīrtha where Brahmān (Lokapitāmahaḥ) had created the worlds; where the great B. Ārṣhṭisheṇa had acquired brahmanhood; where the R.-ṛ. Sindhudvīpa, the great ascetic Devāpi (both in the Kṛta age, 1X, 40, 2294), and the muni Viçvāmitra had obtained brahmanhood (IX, 39). Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiçampāyana related the history of Ārṣhṭisheṇa (m) and of Viçvāmitra (n).
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Thence to the abode of Baka, where Dalbhya Baka had practised austerities (IX, 40); which resounded with the chanting of the Vedas (brahmaghoṣhair avākīrṇam; B. has Brahmayoner Avākīrṇam “from Br. to Av.,” Nīl.), where the R. Baka Dālbhya (o) poured tho kingdom of Dhṛtarāṣhṭra Vaicitravīryi (? Vaicitravīryiṇaḥ, genitive) as a libation into the sacrificial fire. In that tīrtha Bṛhaspati also poured libations into the sacrificial fire, by means of flesh, in order to destroy the Asuras, and tho As. began to waste away and were destroyed by the gods. Thence to Yuyāta tīrtha, where, at a sacrifice of king Yayāti Nāhuṣha, the Sarasvatī produced milk and clarified butter, whereafter Yayāti went to heaven. Once again Yayāti performed a sacrifice there, and Sarasvatī gave to each of the brahmans everything for which he cherished a wish; they regarded the gifts as made to them by the king, and praised and blessed him; D. and G. were pleased. Thence Baladeva proceeded to the tīrtha Vasiṣhṭhāpavāha (IX, 41). Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiçampāyana told the history of Vasiṣhṭhāpavāha (p), and why it is so rapid, and the brahmanicide of Indra (s), who was purified by bathing in that tīrtha. Thence Baladeva went to the tīrtha of Soma, where in days of yore Soma had performed the Rājasūya sacrifice, with Atri for his hotṛ, after which the great battle took place between D. and Dā., Dai., and a Rū.
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named Tāraka, in which Skanda (Mahāsena) slew Tāraka and obtained the command of the celestial forces; in that tīrtha is a gigantic Açvattha tree, under whose shade Kārttikeya (Skanda) always resides in person (IX, 43). Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiçampāyana related the investiture of Skanda (u). The tīrtha, where in days of yore Varuṇa, the lord of the waters, had been installed by the gods, is named Taijasa. Having bathed in that tīrtha, and in Skanda, Bala-Rāma gave gold, etc., and after passing one night there, he became purified (IX, 44-46). Requested by Janamejaya, Vaiçampāyana related the installation of Indra (v). Thence Baladeva (“the slayer of Pralamba”) went to Agnitīrtha, where Agni had performed penances in the Çami wood, where he had been invisible to the gods, and asked him to perform the sacrifice (IX, 46). Vaiçampāyana continued.