150 Ram Narayan — Translation of the Aybdhya-MdMtiiMja. [No. 'J, 



were quite sufficient. Kauto Muni repeated the question and received the 

 same reply. But he persisted in his request, upon which Vis'vamitra 

 got angry and said, " Pay fourteen krors of gold muhurs for learning the 

 fourteen sciences." Kauto Muni replied that it would be paid. He thought 

 that only Maharaja Raghu could afford to pay such a sum ; for he had 

 conquered the world and performed the Vis 'vajit sacrifice, and his wishes had 

 been obtained. Goddess, he who listens to the stoiy which I have related, 

 shall be freed from sin and get salvation. There is no doubt about it." 



Chapter XII. 



" To the south of the Suvarna-khanah is the Yaj naVedi [the place of 

 sacrifice], where S'ri Ramachandra performed sacrifices. "West of it is the 

 A g n i K u n d [the fire altar], adorned with various jewels. Its light removes 

 darkness, and devotees reside here. A man should put here three kinds of fire, 

 Dakshinagni, Garhapatya, and Ahavaneya and perform the pilgrimage to it in 

 faith. Bathing, giving alms, and reading religious books here bestow great 

 blessings. He who bathes at this place becomes immortal. This is beyond 

 question. Giving gold, grain, clothes, cows with their young ones, and bath- 

 ing here, confers riches. The pilgrimage to it is performed on the 1st of 

 the dark half of Agrahayana. The offering of Finds (balls of flour or rice) 

 here is equal to a Gaya Sraddha, and it blesses the deceased ancestors. Giving 

 alms here is equal to performing an As'vamedha. 



" South of Yajna Vedi is the confluence of the Tilai and Sarayu. To 

 bathe, give alms, particularly grain, to fast and feed the Brahmans here, is 

 equal to performing the Achai Sautramani sacrifice. Merely bathing here 

 makes a man healthy, and yields the benefits of ten As'vamedhas. By 

 giving gold here, a man becomes virtuous and glorious. S'ri Raghunatha 

 made this river famous. It is also called Tilodaki, because its water 

 remains black as the seed of the sesamum. Bathing in the Tilodaki at 

 the confluence destroys the sins of seven births. Goddess, it is therefore 

 proper for men to bathe in it and give alms here, because these benefits are 

 everlasting. 



" West of the Tilodaki and the Sarayu is As'oka Batka, the garden of 

 S'ri Raghunatha, in which various trees are planted, such as the sandal, agaru 

 kalagura, fir, champa, naugkesar, mahua, kathal, asan, surtur, lodh, kadamb, 

 arjun, ramnama, sutawar, vasanti, mundar, plantain, and other trees. 

 Many flowers and fragrant trees are also found here, the colour of some beino- 

 like gold, of some like silver, of some like fire, and of others black. 

 There are several pools, ponds, wells, and cisterns, adorned with jewels and 

 filled with clean water, on which the lotus and other flowers float. ' In the 

 middle of it is a bungalow decked with beautiful artificial flowers, brilliant 

 like the stars. It is better than the JSTandana garden of Indra and the Chitra- 



