Among all the progenitors, Dakṣa is revered as the foremost, and among the seers, Kaśyapa stands supreme. In the same way, among all the sacred fords of the world, the place called Puruṣottama shines as the most eminent. Just as the sun is the chief among all planets, and the sacred syllable praṇava (Om) is the highest among mantras, so too is Puruṣottama the most excellent among all holy fords. Even as the Aśvamedha sacrifice is celebrated as the highest of all sacrifices, so, O best of the twice-born, is that field of Puruṣottama the greatest among all sacred fords. As grain is the best among herbs, and the lord of grasses stands above all grasses, so does Puruṣottama rise above all sacred fords. Just as the righteousness of all the sacred waters is said to carry one across the ocean of worldly existence, so too, among all holy places, that Supreme Person—Puruṣottama—is the highest. O best of the twice-born, of all the sacred waters, holy places, recitations, sacrifices, vows, austerities, and gifts, their fruits are as follows: O Brahmins, I see nothing on earth that can equal it. Why, then, should I speak at length, repeating the same truth again and again? Truly, truly, and again truly, that field is supremely great. Even seeing that place called the Supreme Person but once purifies a person as if they had bathed in the vast ocean. Once the knowledge of Brahman is attained there, there is no return to the womb; for in that supreme abode, where Hari resides, in the place of the Supreme Person, liberation is found. One should worship there for a year, or even for just a month. Whatever is recited, whatever is offered, or any great austerity performed there—he attains the supreme abode where Hari, lord of the yogis, dwells, having enjoyed all pleasures together with celestial maidens. At the end of an age, when he returns again to the world of mortals, the best among men is born in the house of yogis and Brahmins, devoted to knowledge and its pursuit. Having attained Vaishnava yoga, he gains the freedom of Hari, together with the wish-fulfilling tree, Rama, Krishna, and the blessed one. The greatness of Markandeya and Indradyumna, and of Madhava, the glory of the gateway to heaven, and the ordinance of the ocean—all these have been recounted in order. The proper time for purification, the meeting with the Bhagirathi—all this I have declared to you, whatever supreme thing you wished to hear. The greatness of Indradyumna has also been described, as well as all the wonders, the secret of the Supreme Person—ancient, most secret, blessed, and liberating from worldly existence. Yet, even after hearing the expanse of the sacred places, we are not satisfied. We yearn to hear again, in full, the supreme secret—the highest glory of the supreme sacred place, which surpasses all others. This very question was asked of me in ancient times, O best of Brahmins, by Narada himself with great effort, and then I spoke to him. Of austerity, sacrifice, and gifts, the sacred waters are remembered as purifying. All this you have now heard from me, O source and lord of the world. But how many sacred places are there in heaven, on earth, and in the netherworld? Among all these sacred places, which one is always the most distinguished? There are four kinds of sacred places in heaven, on earth, and in the netherworld: divine, demonic, those of a reddish hue, and human, O best of sages. Among the three worlds, the human sacred places are renowned by the gods and others. And among the human sacred places, the ones founded by sages are unsurpassed. From the sages and from the sacred fords arise the demonic ones, which bestow much merit; and from the demonic, the divine, which fulfills all desires. That which is established by Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva is called divine; whatever is born from these three together—nothing is known beyond that. Among all the three worlds, the sacred ford is declared pure, and among them, the sacred ford of Jambudvipa is renowned for its many virtues. In Jambudvipa, the land of Bharata is the sacred ford, famed throughout the three worlds, for, my son, it is the field of action; therefore, it is called the sacred ford. There, the sacred fords which I have mentioned to you, situated between the Himalayas and the Vindhyas, and the six rivers of divine origin—likewise, O Brahman, the rivers born of the gods between the southern ocean and the Vindhyas—these twelve rivers are proclaimed as foremost. Because Bharata, the land of great merit, is honored and is the field of action by the gods, it is renowned as the land. The sacred fords of the sages and those born of the gods, in some places, were overtaken by the demons; those are called demonic. In the regions of the divine, the great sages performed austerities; by the power of the divine and their penance, even the sage-born fords became so. For one’s own welfare, for liberation, for worship, for prosperity, for personal gain, or for the attainment of fame, those established by humans are called human fords, O Narada. Thus, O best of sages, there is a fourfold division of sacred fords. No one knows the distinction; you are fit to hear, O Narada. Many who consider themselves learned listen and speak, but only a virtuous one knows how to speak or hear according to their own qualities. I wish to hear, in truth, their nature and distinctions; by hearing this, one is freed from all sins—of this there is no doubt. O Brahman, at the beginning of the Krita age, there was no other means except service to the sacred fords, which grants the desired result with little effort. There is no one like you, O Creator, as a speaker or knower; you were born in the lotus of Vishnu’s navel, the eldest of all. The Godavari, Bhimarathi, Tungabhadra, Venika, Tapi, and Payoshni are proclaimed to the south of the Vindhya. The Bhagirathi, Narmada, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Vishoka, and Vitasta are situated on the Himalaya mountains. These rivers are most holy, declared as divine fords: Gaya, Kollasura, Vritra, Tripura, and likewise Andhaka. Thus is revealed the supreme glory of the sacred places, the rivers, and the fields of merit, with Puruṣottama ever shining as the highest among them all.