1G2 Earn Narayan — Translation of the Ayodhyd-MaMtmya. [Xo. 2, 



horns covered with gold, her hoofs with silver, her back with brass, her tail 

 with jewels, and her body covered with a beautiful cloth, to a fit person, free 

 from sickness and sin, because otherwise she will carry him to hell. By 

 worshipping me without desiring anything, a man shall go to paradise, and 

 salvation shall fall to his lot. It is therefore proper for ye to repair 

 thither, bathe and worship Gupta-hari, because he is the bestower of riches, 

 piety, and many other blessings.' Having said this, Bhagavan disappear- 

 ed. The gods then performed the pilgrimage to Ayodhya in due form, were 

 pleased with its advantages, and remained there. The pilgrimage to Gopir- 

 tar is performed on the last day of Kartika. 



" North of Gupti-hari is Gopirtar, the destroyer of all sins. By 

 bathing and giving alms here, a man is not involved in misery. Goddess, 

 there neither has been nor will there ever be such a place. What Manikarni- 

 ka is in Kas'i, Maha-kal in Ujjain, and Chakravapi in Nimkhar, that 

 Gopirtar is in Ayodhya, because thence Bamachandra with all its inhabi- 

 tants went to Sakaitun (paradise)." Parvati asked how Bamachandra had 

 carried all the residents of Ayodhya to Sakaitun. Mahadeva answered, w 

 Goddess, listen to it attentively. When Baghunatha, having performed the 

 work of the gods, intended to go to Sakaitun, which is his abode, all sorts of 

 creatures, monkeys, bears, Munis, Gandharvas, &c, came to him to pay their 

 respect, and said with folded hands — ' We shall all follow you, for we shall 

 die, if you go without us.' Hearing this, S'ri Baghunatha first spoke to 

 Bibhishana, ' Bibhishana, I have told you to reign in Lanka till the 

 end of creation, and you know my words cannot be untrue, nor ought you 

 to think so, therefore you had best go to Lanka ; you are my friend, do not 

 otherwise, nor answer me.' Then Bamachandra said to Hanuman — ' Do 

 not disobey me, remain in this world, tell the people of my story, in- 

 crease my fame, and protect the pious.' He then turned to Dobind 

 Mayind and said — ' You have drunk nectar and are immortal, stop here 

 and protect the princes of my family.' Afterwards he told the rest of the 

 monkeys, bears, and Bakshasas to accompany him, and dismissed Bibhishana 

 and the others. Having done this, he called Vas'ishtha, his spiritual guide, 

 and recmested him to make preparations for departure to Sakaitun, which 

 he did." 



Chapter XXI. 



Mahadeo continued, " Goddess, having bathed and dressed in yellow 

 silk cloth, S'ri Baghunatha performed the usual daily ceremonies, and. taking 

 Msh-gva.ss into his hands, prepared to leave. He said nothing to any 

 one, but went out of the city like the moon issuing forth from the sea. 

 Lakshmi and Sarasvati assumed human shapes, and went forth from his left 

 and right arms respectively ; the former, the goddess of wealth, and the lat- 



