152 Earn Narayan — Translation of the Ayodhya-Mdh&tmya. [No. 2, 



North and bring the Maniparhat. Garuda went and brought the bill. He 

 then asked where it was to be placed. Bamachandra replied : ' Place it west 

 of Vidya-kund.' This was done, and Janaki was pleased. Garuda asked 

 permission, and went to heaven. Raghunatha then said to Janaki, ' See, 

 the hill is ready, take your companions with you, go there, and enjoy your- 

 self.' Janaki did so, and continued to visit it daily. The mere sight of the 

 hill, destroys a mountain of sins and those of one thousand births. 



"South of Maniparhat is G a n es'a-k u n d. A man should praise 

 Ganes'a with his mantra and give the sixteen prescribed things, and say the fol- 

 lowing prayer : { Thy trunk is red ; thy face is beautiful ; thou fulfillest the 

 wishes of thy devotees ; thou art a support of those who plunge into a sea of 

 trouble ; thy belly is broad ; remain in my heart for ever ; thou seizest thy 

 enemies with thy trunk, and throwest them up into the air, and thou bless- 

 est thy devotees.' 



" West of the last is the D a s' a r a t h - k u n d, very beautiful and adorn- 

 ed with jewels. It destroys all sins, and accomplishes all desires. West of it is 

 Kausalya-kund, by bathing in which and giving alms there one ob- 

 tains all sorts of joys. These pilgrimages are performed on the last day of 

 Bhadra. West of the latter is S u m i t r a-k u n d, and south of it, K a i k e y i- 

 k u n d. The pilgrimage to both are performed on the 15th of Bhadra. South- 

 west of it are the D u r b h a r and Mahabhar ponds. Pilgrimages thereto 

 are performed on the fourth of the wane in Bhadra. A man who worships 

 Vishnu-Siva, and the Brahmans here, obtains his wishes. Vishnu and Siva 

 have been here from time immemorial. Meditating on them destroys sins. 

 Goddess, their origin was tnis. Vishnu and Siva were consulting with each 

 other, when they smelled the perfumes of flowers which had been placed 

 there by Durbhar and Mahabhar, who were brothers and used to sell lotus 

 flowers. Both the gods were pleased, and said to the brothers that the two 

 ponds would be called after their names, and men and women would bathe in 

 them and obtain their desires. 



" North-west of Mahabhar-kund is Y o g i n i - k u n d, where sixty-four 

 Yoginis dwell. They all bestow great blessings upon men, but particularly 

 upon women. Therefore it is necessary that they should bathe in it. The 

 performance of a Puruscharana here gives riches. 



" East of Yogini-kund is U r v a s h i - k u n d, after bathing in which 

 Urvashi went to heaven. Her story is as follows : A great Muni, named 

 Raibha, was performing devotion on the Himalaya, when Indra sent Urvashi 

 to disturb him. She was most beautiful, and had no equal in the regions of 

 Indra. She came with spring and the god of love to the place of the Muni. 

 The Muni looked up and was wounded by the arrows of love. He became rest- 

 less and angry, and said, ' wicked retainer of Ivamadeva, you have come 

 here, proud of your beauty to disturb me in my devotion ? — be ugly.' Hearing 

 this, she became very sorry and falling to the Muni's feet said to him in be- 



