Skanda asked:
14-15. O Lord, the glorious lord of the men of Yādava clan is the maker, annihilator, protector and
preceptor of all the worlds. For the sake of the welfare of all creatures he has resolved to perform
penance. Where does that Lord reside now at the advent of the Kali Age which is bereft of (i.e. has no
regard for) the Vedas and Scriptures?
16. Which are the meritorious sacred places, Tīrthas and sacred rivers? By whom is the Lord, the Slayer
of Madhu, attained directly? O Lord, O father, kindly tell this to me who am full of faith.
Śrī Mahādeva replied:
17-18. There are many Tīrthas and holy places, O Six-faced One, where Hari is desirous of staying. Some
of them are capable of yielding the desired objects to seekers of the ultimate truth. Some of them are
bestowers of salvation. Some Tīrthas which bestow both the benefits of here and hereafter, yield much
merit.
19-22a. (The following are the holy
rivers[1]:) Gaṅgā, Godāvarī, Revā (Narmadā), Tapatī, Yamunā, Kṣiprā, Sarasvatī, the
holy Gautamī, Kauśikī, Kāverī, Tāmraparṇī, Candrabhāgā, Mahendrajā (‘rising from the
mountain Mahendra’), Citrotpalā, Vetravatī, Sarayū—a meritorious river, Carmaṇvatī, Śatadru, Payasvinī,
Atrisaṃbhavā (‘born of Atri’), Gaṇḍikā, Bāhudā, Sindhu and Sarasvatī—all these are sacred and
meritorious. When repeatedly served these yield worldly pleasures and salvation.
22b-23. (The holy places[2] are:) Ayodhyā,
Dvārikā, Kāśī, Mathurā, Avantikā, Kurukṣetra, Rāmatīrtha, Kāñcī, Puruṣottama (Jagannātha Purī), Puṣkara,
Dardura, the holy spot Vārāha created by Brahmā and the highly meritorious holy place named Badarī
which is the means for the achievement of all objectives in life.
24. By duly visiting Ayodhyā, the city which is the sole means of achieving salvation, (devotees) are rid of
all their sins. They go to the region of Hari.
25. (Devotees of Hari) (go to Ayodhyā) after leaving their houses. There they engage themselves in
worshipping, dancing and singing songs of praise in diverse ways, in the places which Viṣṇu (i.e. Rāma)
had previously resorted to and where he had moved about. By meditating on Hari they go to heaven and
they frustrate the endeavour of the god of Death.
26 If a person takes his bath at Svargadvāra (i.e. Ayodhyā) and sees the abode of Rāma with purity (of
mind and body), he becomes one who has fulfilled his task. Hence I do not see (any need of) further
activity for him (for salvation).
27. At Dvārikā Hari never leaves his abode. Even now his mansion is clearly seen by some meritorious
persons.
28. If a man takes his holy bath in Gomatī and views the lotuslike face of Kṛṣṇa, he becomes liberated, O
Six-faced One, even without Sāṃkhya (i.e. perfect knowledge).
29. Even the immortal Devas wish for death that brings in great benefit in (Vārāṇasī) which extends to
five Krośas (i.e. 5x3 = 15 Kms) and lies between (rivers) Varuṇā and Asī. What to say of ordinary human
beings?
30. If a man takes his bath in Maṇikarṇī, Jñānavāpī, Viṣṇupādodaka (i.e. Gaṅgā) and the
lake Pañcanada (Pañcagaṅgā), he will never drink the breast-milk of a mother.
31. Even if a man casually visits Viśveśa (i.e. Śiva) at Kāśī, O Six-faced One, he becomes liberated without
any further birth or death.
32a. Why should I say much? Nowhere is there a holy place like this.
32b. One who performs penance and observes holy fasts in Mathurā and goes to the place of birth (of
Kṛṣṇa) becomes rid of all sins.
33. By taking bath in Viśrāntitīrtha in accordance with the injunctions and offering libations to
the Pitṛs with gingelly seeds and water, one redeems them from hell and goes to the world of Viṣṇu.
34. If unwittingly a man commits a sin there, it becomes reduced to ash instantaneously, if he has his
holy ablution in Viśrānta (Tīrtha).
35. Men who duly take their holy bath in the month of Vaiśākha at Avantī in river Śiprā, will never
undergo the state of a ghost even in the course of hundreds of births.
36. By taking holy bath in Koṭitīrtha, visiting god Śiva called Mahākāla and feeding excellent Brāhmaṇas,
one is liberated from all sins.
37. This is a holy spot yielding salvation. It is the direct means of attaining my world. By making
charitable gifts poverty is eradicated (and there is happiness) here and hereafter.
38. By gifting gold (to Brāhmaṇas) in accordance with one’s capacity at Kurukṣetra in Rāmatīrtha during
solar eclipse a man becomes liberated.
39. Men who accept those gifts out of covetousness will never attain manhood even in the course of
hundreds and crores of Kalpas.
40. In the holy spot of Hari people should take their bath in the water of his holy feet (i.e. Gaṅgā) and see
Hari. By doing so they will be rid of all their sins and will rejoice with Hari.
41. Many groups of Sky-walkers (gods etc.) stay here. Groups of sages eat fruits, roots and leaves. The
sages here restrain their breaths and thereby they have gradually subdued the power of sense-organs.
42. In Viṣṇukāñcī Hari is directly present. In Śivakāñcī Śiva himself is present. Since there is no difference
between these two, salvation is within the reach of everyone through devotion (to either). If they
differentiate between Śiva and Viṣṇu, men will meet with evil results.
43. If a man takes his holy bath in Mārkaṇḍeya Hrada and sees Jagannātha (at Purī) at least once, he shall
stop sucking the breasts of a mother even without recourse to Jñānayoga (redeeming knowledge or
practice of yoga).
44. On a day in conjunction with the constellation Rohiṇī, one should take holy bath in the ocean
or Indradyumna Hrada and then consume the Naivedya of Viṣṇu. Thereby one obtains residence
in Vaikuṇṭha.
45. The holy spot (Puruṣottama Kṣetra) extending to ten Yojanas (i.e. 10x12 = 120 Kms) is situated on the
conchshell (i.e. a place with the shape of a conchshell). Even worms there will have a form having four
arms. There is no doubt about this.
46. On the Kārttikī day one should take bath at Puṣkara, perform Śrāddha with monetary gifts and feed
Brāhmaṇas devoutly. Thereby one is honoured in the world of Brahmā.
47. If a man takes his holy bath in the lake at least once, and sees the sacrificial post with great
concentration and mental purity, he shall be rid of all sins and will be born as an excellent Brāhmaṇa.
48-49a. The benefit that one obtains by practising Yoga for sixty thousand years, can be obtained by duly
taking a bath in Saukara Tīrtha and worshipping Han with purity. The sins committed in the course of
seven births perish instantaneously.
49b-50. Tīrtharāja (Prayāga) is of great merit. It is resorted to by all the other Tīrthas. By performing holy
rites the desires of all creatures who wish for anything shall be realized. By taking holy bath
in Veṇī (Triveṇī, i.e. confluence of Gaṅgā, Yamunā and Sarasvatī) one shall become purified. Thereafter,
one should visit Mādhava. Thereby one enjoys the pleasures of meritorious persons and in the end
attain the state of Mādhava (himself).
51-52. Merely by reciting the name of Badarī one attains the benefit which a man full of devotion gets by
bathing in Triveṇī in the month of Māgha.
The Tīrtha called Daśāśvamedhika yields the benefit of ten sacrifices.
O son, it (i.e. the glory of Tīrthas) has been succinctly spoken. What more do you wish to hear?
Śrī Mahādeva said:
53. The holy spot of Hari named Badarī is difficult of access in all the three worlds. Merely by
remembering the holy place men who have committed great sins are immediately absolved of sins.
Those who die there attain salvation.
54. Even a mental pilgrimage to Badarī becomes equal to a severe penance performed in other Tīrthas.
55. There are many Tīrthas in heaven, earth and nether worlds, but there never was a Tīrtha like Badarī
nor will there ever be (one).
56. Within a moment one gets in Viśālā (i.e. Badarī) that benefit which one derives after performing
thousands of sacrifices or a penance with only air as subsistence.
57. This holy spot is called Muktipradā (‘bestower of salvation’) in Kṛtayuga, Yogasiddhidā (‘bestower of
yogic powers’) in Tretāyuga, and Viśālā in Dvāpara; and in Kali Age it is called Badarikāśrama.
58. The gross and the subtle body are the dwelling places of the Jīva. Since the holy spot destroys it
through perfect knowledge, it is called Viśālā.
59. This holy spot exudes nectar because of the contact of a Badarī tree (jujube tree); so it is called
Badarī by wise men, where lives a group of sages.
60. Lord Viṣṇu may abandon all the Tīrthas in the course of different Yugas on different occasions, but he
never leaves Badarī.
61. O Guha, by visiting Badarī one obtains that benefit which people derive by taking a plunge in all the
Tīrthas or by performing penance, yogic practice and Samādhi (meditation).
62. The benefit obtained by yogic practice in sixty thousand years is obtained in a day by staying at
Vārāṇasī and the same benefit by (simply) going to Badarī.
63. It is called Viśālā as it is the abode of all the Tīrthas, all the Devas and all the sage
