Varāha Mahā Purana
78 - Mandara and other mountains
Rudra said:
1-8. I shall now tell you about the four great mountains and about the lakes in them, which are beautiful, from which blow the gentle and sweet-smelling breeze, which have rivers flowing out of them, each of which have nine regions frequented by the celestial couples, which are full of gems and sacred spots, which always sound with waterfalls, which are full of lotuses, lilies, and other beautiful plants.
9. The lake in the eastern mountain is Arunoda, the one in the southern is Mänasa, the one in thewestern is Asitoda and the one in the northern is Mahäbhadra. All these are full of lilies of various colours.
10. I shall tell you now about the mounts around Arunoda, listen to me.
11-12. They are Vikañka, Manišhruñga, Supätra, Upala, Mahänila, Kumbha, Suvindu, Madana, Venunaddha, Sumedas and Nishadha all of them holy.
13. The mounts around Mánasa, I shall now enumerate.
14-16, They are Trišhikhara, Shišhira, Kapi, Shatainaksha, Turaga, Tämräbha, Visha, Shvetodana, Samüla, Sarala, Ratnaketu, Ekamula, Mahäšhruñga, Gajamüla, Šhävaka Pañchašhaila, Kailasa and Himavän.
17. The mounts on the next, namely on the west (around Asitoda) I shall now give you.
18-20. They are Kapila, Piñgala, Bhadra, Sarasa, Kumuda, Madhumän, Garjana, Markata,Krishna, Pändava, Sahasrašhiras, Päriyatra and Šuruñgavän. I shall tell you now about the mounts around Mahäbhadra in the north.
21-23. They are Hamsaküta, Vrushahamsa, Kapinjala, Indrašhaila, Nila, Kanakašhruñga, Shatašhruñga, Pushkara, Meghašhaila, Viräja and Järuji.
24. In this manner know the places, towns and lakes in order from the north.
Summary of chapter 78 of the Varāha Mahā Purana is as follows:
The narrative extols the supreme tīrtha of Prithūdaka situated on the holy banks of river Sarasvatī, declaring it superior to all pilgrimage sites across the three worlds. Maharshi Mārkaṇḍeya performed excruciating penances at this holy spot to earn the eternal grace of Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa, demonstrating that even premature death and heavy ancestral karmas are dissolved by making pilgrimages to Prithūdaka with pristine faith. The text affirms that while other tīrthas bestow merit through long austerities, merely touching the holy waters of Prithūdaka cleanses the seeker of all adharma.