1S75.] Earn Narayan — Translation of the Ayodhyd-Ufdhdtmya. 139 



nourisher of cows, whose hair is beautiful, and charming to all ; whose 

 nose is handsome ; whose forehead is fair and glorious ; who keepestthe Cha- 

 kra for the destruction of the wicked ; whose yellow dress is so auspicious, 

 that the mere sight of it destroys sins and fulfils one's wishes ; who hast 

 Lakshmi, Sarasvati, and other handsome goddesses by thy side ; whose four 

 arms are beautiful and are the bestowers of the four fruits* and the upholders 

 of the four yugas (ages) ; whose thighs are fair and charming ; who art all- 

 knowing and everywhere present ; who holdest a club for the punishment of 

 the wicked, and assumest different shapes, such as those of the Lion, the 

 Tortoise, &c, for the preservation of virtue and the protection of the world !" 



Mahadeva then told Parvati that when Dharma thus praised Hari, the 

 husband of Lakshmi was pleased, and said, " O Dharma, I am satisfied with 

 your praises ; ask for a boon." Having said this, he granted a boon of his own 

 accord to the effect that whoever should read the above mentioned hymn, 

 would be blessed, and venerable and wealthy in the world. Dharma then 

 said : " As thou hast been pleased with me, I station you here and give 

 you the name of Hari." Then Bhagavan said, " It will be better to call me by 

 the name of Dharma Hari, so that your name may be pronounced first and 

 then mine. All sins are destroyed when a man takes the name of Dharma 

 Hari." Such a boon was bestowed. 



Mahadeva then addressed Parvati as follows — " With due ceremonies 

 Dharma Hari was thus stationed. Therefore, he who, after bathing in the 

 Sarayu, will joyfully visit Dharma Hari, shall be freed from all sins. The 

 fruits of giving alms, performing sacrifices and devotion, feeding the poor, 

 &c, at this place, are everlasting, and admittance into heaven is certain. 

 It is wise if a man who commits sins knowingly or unknowingly, performs 

 a little prayascliitta [penance] in due form here. No one can fully describe 

 the greatness of this sacred place ; what I have said is but little. When 

 performing the pilgrimage on the 11th of the lunar half of the month of 

 Asarh in the following manner, a man is sure to obtain heaven. He should 

 bathe at Svargadvar, visit Dharma Hari, and worship him, which will destroy 

 all his sins, and he will go to the regions of Vishnu. 



To the north-east of Dharma Hari, there is a ghat of the name of 

 Janaki-Tirtha; here the pilgrimage is performed on the 3rd day of 

 S'ravana, especially in the light half of that month. The reward of bathing, 

 giving alms, performing worship and sacrifice, and feeding Brahmans here, is 

 everlasting. 



South of it is the Eamaghat, the advantages of which are inde- 

 scribable, but I shall relate them briefly." 



Chapter VI. 

 Mahadeva said, " O Parvati, the space to the south of Ramaghat and 

 Svargadvar, in all directions, is called A y o d h y a P i t h a [sacred spot], in 



* Artha (wealth) ; dharma (religion) ; kaiaa (wish) ; moksha (salvation). 



