23 - Holy Centres: Their Greatness 

The sages said: 

1. O Sūta conversent with piety, it behoves you to narrate the tale of holy shrines and centres over the earth. We are in clined to hear the same. 

Lomaharşhana said: 

2. He whose hands and feet are clean, whose mind is fully restrained and who has learning, penance and fame, enjoys the benefit of visiting holy shrines. 

3. The pure mind is the holy centre unto men. So also the control over speech and the restraint on the sense-organs. There are holy centres present in the physical body itself. They make the man understand the path of heaven. 

4. The wicked mind situated within does not become purified by ablutions in the sacred water in the holy centres, like the unclean mudpot of stale liquor which cannot become pure even when washed with water a hundred times. 

5. Neither holy centres, not charitable gifts nor holy rites, nor penance groves can purify the man whose mind is wicked, who takes delight in arrogance or who has not conquered his sense-organs. 

6. Wherever a man stays after keeping his sense-organs fully under his control—the holy centres of Kurukshetra, Prayaga and Puşhkara are present there. 

7. Hence listen. I shall mention holy centres and sacred shrines—whatever there are on the earth, O excellent sages. 

8-9 They cannot be explained in detail even in the course of hundreds of years. 

excellent brahmins I shall mention holy centres of Puşhkara, Naimisa forest, Prayāga and Dharmáranya as the foremost among holy spots. 

There are Dhenuka, Champaka and Saindhava forests. 

10. The meritorious Sagarāraṇya forest, Dandaka forest, Gaya, Prabhāsa, Srītīrtha, and the divine Kanakhala.¹ 

1. Kanakhala-A holy place of pilgrimage on the bank of Ganga. Kali däsa refers to this place in his Meghadūta. This is the place where Dakşa Prājāpati performed the sacrifice. 

11. Bhrgutunga, HiranYakşha, Bhimakanya, Kuśasthali Lokārgala, Kedara and Mandāra forest. 

12. Mahalaya, Koţitīrtha, that dispels sins, Rūpatirtha, Sūkara and Chakratīrtha of great benefit. 

13. Vyasatirtha, Somatirtha, Sakhotakatirtha, Kokamukha tirtha and the holy Badari mountain. 

14. Somatirtha, Tungakūta, Skandāśramatirtha, Sürya- . prabha, Dhenusaras and the seventh ayuşmika. ? 

15. Koțitīrtha at Dharmodbhava, the Sårva-kāmika-tirtha, Suryaprabha, Mahakunda and Somābhişecanatirtha. 

16. Mahāśtotra, Koraka, Pañchadhåras Tridhāra, Saptadhāra, Ekadhåra and Amarakantakatīrtha. 

17. Salagrāma, Chakratīrtha, the excellent Kadalīhrada, Vidyutprabha, Devahradatirtha, and Vişhnu prabha. 

18. Sankhaprabha, Devakuņda, Vajrayudhatirtha, Vas trāpada, Barhapada and Lokārohana. 

19. Svayamvata, Bhadrabala, Kausamba, Divakara, Särasvata Dvipa, Vijayadvipa, and Kämaja Dvipa. 

20. (?) Sollayāngopacara, Cavarambana, Pūrņavat (?) Snánakunda, Prayaga and Guha Vişhnu pada. 

21. Kanyakunda, Väyukunda, Jambūmārga the excellent holy centre, Gabhastitirtha and the clean Yayati Pattana. 

22. Bhadravata Koțitirtha, Mahākälavana, the great. Narmadātīrtha, Tīrthabīja and Arbuda. 

23. The Pañchatirtha including Vasişthatirtha, Priyasam jñaka, Varșika and the splendid Pañjiraka. 

24. Sutirtha, Brahmarudra, Kanyakumarika, Sakratirtha, Pañchanada and Reņukātirtha. 

25. The pure Paitāmahatirtha, the excellent Raudrapada, Manimanta, Kamakhya, Krishnatirtha and Kulingaka. 

26. Srišakrayajana, Brahmavālukā, the holy Vyasatirtha, Pundarika and the excellent Manimantha. 

27. Dirghamantha, Hamsapadatirtha, Sayana, Daśāśva medha, Kedara and Tamasodbheda. 

28. Rudrakūpa, Samyamanītirtha. Samtrāvanāsika, Sya. mantapanchaka, and Brahmatirth'a very pleasing to look. 

29. Pruthivitirtha, Päriplava, Pruthūdaka, Daśāśvamedhika, Sāksida and Vijaya. 

30. The Koțitirtha at Pañcanada, Varaha, Yakṣiṇīhrada, Pundarika, Somatirtha, and the excellent Muñjāvațaratha. 

31. The Babūravanatirtha situated in the forest Badarivana, Svarlokadvāraka and Kapilătirtha. 

32. Süryatirtha, Varusthana, Bhavabhavana, Yakşharakşa satirtha, and Brahmatirtha the excellent holy centre. 

33. Kameśvara, Matrtīrtha, Satavana, the abode of the earthly Hamsa (swan) and the Sarasatirtha. 

34. Daśāśvamedha, Kedăra, excellent Brahmajña Saptar sikunda and the well-delimited tirtha of the goddess. 

35. Iháspada (the support here, on earth) Kotikrta, Kimvāna, Kimjaya, Karandava, Viśvatirtha and another Triviştapatīrtha. 

36. Pāņikhătatīrtha, Miśrakatirtha, Madhukanțatirtha, Manomayatīrtha, the divine Kausikitirtha and the excellent Kanyātīrtha. 

37. The Brahmatirtha, Manastirtha, the sacred holy centre, Saugandhika the holy forest, Manitīrtha and Sarasvatitirtha. 

38. The most excellent holy centre Isảnatirtha, the holy Panchayajñaka, Triśūladhara, Mahendra, and the divine abode Mahālaya, 

39. The divine holy centre Sakambharītīrtha, Suvarnakhya, Kapimada, Kșireśvara, Virūpākşa, Bhrgutirtha and Kuśodbhava. 

40. Brahmävarta, Brahmayoni, the mountain Nilaparvata, the eddy Bhadrakarna and the eddy Sakrakarņa. 

41. Saptasārasvata, the holy centre of Aušanasatirtha, Kapalamocana, Avakīrṇa and Panchakatīrtha, 

42. Catussamudrika, Satkāñcanasahasrika, Renuka, Pan cakataka and Ainasa-Vimocanatirtha. 

43. Sthåņuthirtha, Tirtha of Kuru, Svargadvăra, Kuśa dhvaja, Viśveśvara, Våmakara and the hermitage of Nārāyaṇa. 

44. Gangáhrada, the holy Vata and Badarī, Indramar ganakşetra and Jirikāvása. 

45. O brahmins, Somatīrtha, the meritorious Koțitirtha, the holy spot of Koțitirthasthalī, an eddy by Bhadrakali.

 46. The holy forest of Arundhatīvana, the excellent Brahmävarta, Aśvadevi, Kubjavana and Yamunáprabhava. 

47. Vira-Pramokşa, Siddhartha, Mayavidyodbhava, Mahāhrada, Vetasikärūpa and Sundarikaśhrama. 

48. Brahmanītirtha, which is very great, Gangodbhavasara svati, Bahukātirtha and Vimalásokatirtha. 

49. Gautamitirtha, Airavatitirtha, Satasahasrikātīrtha, Koțitirtha in the abode Bhartssthana and the excellent Kåpili- tirtha. 

50. The Panchanadatirtha of the intelligent Märkandeya, Somatīrtha, Sivoda and Matsyodarītīrtha. 

51. Sūryatirtha having the lustre of the sun, the holy forest Somakavana, Aruņāspada, Vamanaka and the Sūryatīrtha abounding in sands. 

52. The Tirtha called Avimukta, the Nīlakanthahrada. Pisacamocana, and Subhadráhrada. 

53. Vimalakunda, Tīrtha of Chaņdīśvara, Sreşthasthānahrada and Samudrakūpa. 

54. The forest of Jaigīşavya, the forest of Harikeśa, Ajāmu kharasa, and the whirlpool of Ghanțäkarņa. 

55. Pundarikahrada, the tank of Kaşthaka, Smaśāna stambha, Kumbhatirtha and the Vināyakahrada. 

56. The well born of the Siddhas, the holy lake Brahma saras Bhadrāvāsa, Nagatirtha and Somatirtha. 

57. Bhaktahrada, the lake of milk, Pretädhära, Kumāra katirtha, Brahmăvarta Kuśāvarta and the holy centre Dadhi karnodaya. 

58. The great holy centre of Srungatirtha, the excellent holy centre of Mahanadi, the divine lake Brahmasaras, and the holy Akşayavata at Gayāśīrṣa. 

59. Gomayatirtha in the South, Hayaśāntika in the north, Kapilāhrada, Grudhrakūta and Savitrīhrada. 

60. The forest Gītavana that destroys sins, Yonidvara, Dhainuka, Dhanvaka, Lohika and Matangahrada. 

61. Pitrukūpa, Rudrakūpa, Matitirtha, Sumálin, Brahma sthāna, Saptakunda, and Maņiratnahrada. . 

62. The hermitage of Mudgala, the whirlpool of Mudgala, the holy centre Janakakūpa, and the holy Tirtha Vinaśana. 

63. The holy centre Soka, Bhāratatirtha, Jyesthālika, Viśveśvara of hundredfold merits, and Kanyāsamvedha. 

64. Nidhitirtha, Råmabhavatirtha, the hermitage of Vasiştha, Devakūta, Devakūpa and the hermitage of Kausika. 

65. Kulakarnahrada, Kauśikidruma, Dharmatīrtha, Kāñ canatirtha and the holy centre Uddalaka, 

66. Dandátmā, Mālinitirtha, Vanacandikātirtha, San dhyatirtha, Kalatirtha, Kapilātirtha and Lohitārņava. 

67. Sonodbhava, Vamśagulma, the centre of Rāma Bhangika, Punyāvartahrada, Srimattirtha and the hermitage Badari kāśrama. 

68. Rämatirtha, Vitastā, Merujātiya, the Rohiņi and the lake of Indradyumna. 

69. Avasarga, Mahendra, Srītīrtha and the holy centre Isutirtha, Varşika, and the abode of Kubera. 

70. Kanyātirtha, Gokarna, the abode, of Gopati Saṁvarta, Visvasa and the group of seven deep pools named Sapta godāvarīhrada. 

71. Another Badarīhrada, Brahmasthānayivardhana, Jätihrada, Devahrada, and Kuśaprathana. 

72. Sarvadevavrata, Kanyāśramahrada, Mahārājahrada, the holy Sakratirtha and Kundaka. 

73. Angāratīrtha, the forest Rudrāranyaka, Medhāvin, Devahrada and the holy centre Amaravartana. 

74. The holy Mandakinihrada, Kşhama, Mäheśvara, Gargātīrtha, Tripuruşa, and Bhīmatāņdavamukha. 

75. Pruthukūţa, Salvakūta, Sona, Rohitaka, Kapilahrada, Mälya and Kapilāhrada belonging to Vasiştha. 

76-79. The eddies, the holy waterspots of Válakhilyas, the seven sages, other great sages and the Akhandita-hrada. 

The man who is endowed with faith who takes his bath duly in these sacred water spots and holy centres should ob serve fast and control his sense-organs. He should perform Tarpaņa rites for Devas, sages and Pitrus. After worshipping the deities he should stay there for three nights. 

O brahmins, benefits are derived severally from each of these holy centres. Undoubtedly, the man obtains the benefit of a horse-sacrifice by making journeys to these places. 

He who listens to this narrative daily, or who narrates this greatness of holy centres is liberated from sins.