1S75.] Earn Narayan — Translation of the AyodJiyd-Mdhdtm/a. 1G7 



" East; of it and of its the vicinity is M a n u s, also called Punnibas, 

 by bathing in which a man gains his wishes and is absolved of his mental, 

 bodily, and oral sins. The pilgrimage to it is performed on the last day of 

 Bhadra. 



" South of it is the Tons, bathing in which destroys all sins. On its 

 banks are situated the charming abodes of Munis, such as Mandukya, which 

 grant all desires and destroy all sins." 



Chapter XXV. 



Mahadeva then said, " Goddess, the • Tons rises from a place in the 

 forest of P r a m o d a k, a very sacred spot, adorned with various beautiful 

 trees, by visiting which a man is released from his sins. Different kinds of 

 birds perch on the trees, and sing harmonious songs, which destroy the sins of 

 the hearer and give them pleasure. Its water is very clear and wholesome. 

 In the forest, Mandukya Muni performed devotion, and thus made it sacred. 



" East of it is the holy residence of Gautama His hi, and east of that, 

 is the abode of C h a v a n a Muni, the mere sight of which destroys all 

 sins. There are a great many trees which adorn the banks of the Tons, and 

 are used as pillars of sacrifices. The pilgrimage to it is made on the last 

 day of Agrahayana. 



" On the other side of the Tons and near Dhugdes'var is S i t a - k u n d, 

 the destroyer of all sins and bestower of our wishes. The pilgrimage to it is 

 performed on the fourteenth of the light half of Bhadra. In the vicinity of 

 it is R a m a - k u n d. There is no limit to its advantages, they could not be 

 described in a hundred years. The benefits of bathing here are equal to those 

 of giving grain, clothes, carriages, gold, land, villages, and cows. Listen 

 to an ancient story. There was a Brahman, named Brahmadatta, well ac- 

 quainted with the Vedas. He performed acts of great devotion by living 

 on vegetables of spontaneous growth, fruits, and roots. He made pilgrim- 

 ages to the Ganges, Yamuna, Gomati, Gandaki, Satadru, Payoshini, Chan- 

 drabhaga, Sarasvati, Narbada, Sona, Prayag, Gaya, Vindhya Tirtha, Him- 

 nut Tirtha, Breshurvana, and other sacred places, such as Nimkbar, Push- 

 kara, Kurukshetra, &c, in due form. Having performed these, he came to 

 this pond, was pleased with it, bathed in the Bama-kund and the Sita-kund, 

 meditated on Bamachandra, breathed his last, and riding on a celestial 

 ear went to heaven, attended by Apsaras and Gandbarvas. Beading or hear- 

 ing the above story leads a man to heaven. 



" South of that is the abode of B h a i r a v a, the mere sight of which des- 

 troys all sins. He was stationed here by Vishnu for the protection of Ayodha. 

 The pilgrimage to it is performed on the eighth of the dark half of Agra- 

 hayana, and bestows great blessings. A man should offer to him sacrifices 

 of animals and worship him, which will fulfil all his wishes. Having com- 



