O King, listen with devotion to the power of this sacred Vedic verse: whoever hears it, remembers it, or recites it with faith is graciously carried across by us, the divine ones, beyond all obstacles. Where this verse is recited, especially in the company of the king Soma, on the banks of the holy Ganga, and amidst the presence of sacred herbs, that place becomes renowned as the sacred ford of grain. From that moment, such a ford is endowed with medicinal properties, auspiciousness, immortality, Vedic sanctity, and the nurturing quality of a mother’s embrace. Those who perform holy acts there—bathing, recitation of sacred texts, oblations, gifts, offerings to ancestors, or the giving of food—acquire boundless merit. On both banks of the Ganga, there are more than six hundred thousand sacred fords, each capable of destroying all sins and increasing prosperity for those who visit them. Now, O wise one, hear about the sacred confluence of the river Vidarbha and, likewise, the confluence of Revati. What transpired there is known by those learned in the Purana, and I shall recount it to you. There lived a great sage, Bharadvaja, famous for his severe austerities. He had a sister named Revati, who, sadly, was deformed in appearance and spoke with a distorted voice. Seeing his sister’s condition, the mighty Bharadvaja was filled with deep concern and stood thoughtfully on the southern bank of the Ganga. He pondered, “To whom should I give this sister, this maiden of dreadful appearance? No one will accept her, yet a sister must be given. Alas, for a daughter is often the sole cause of sorrow; for a living being, at every step, it feels like death even while alive.” As Bharadvaja reflected thus in his splendid hermitage, a great sage arrived to visit him. This sage was Kaṭha, a Brahmin youth of sixteen years, handsome, calm, self-controlled, and a repository of virtues. Kaṭha bowed respectfully before Bharadvaja, who welcomed and honored him. Bharadvaja then asked the young sage the reason for his visit. Kaṭha replied, “I have come as a seeker of knowledge, desiring your audience. Please do what is appropriate.” Bharadvaja responded, “Study whatever you wish—Puranas, Smritis, Vedas, and the many sources of Dharma.” Kaṭha assured him, “I know everything, O wise one; speak without delay. A noble-born, dharma-devoted, obedient, humble, and learned disciple is attained through merit. O Brahmin, teach me, your disciple, who is free from sin, devoted to service, faithful, noble-born, and truthful.” Bharadvaja agreed, saying, “So be it,” and imparted all knowledge to Kaṭha. Pleased after receiving this wisdom, Kaṭha spoke to his teacher, “I wish to give you a gift, O teacher, whatever pleases your heart; speak, even if it is difficult to obtain. O teacher, I bow to you. For even those who, after gaining knowledge, do not satisfy their teacher, out of delusion, fall into hell for as long as the moon and stars endure.” Bharadvaja then said, “Accept my sister as your wife, according to proper rites; live with her with affection—this is the gift I request.” Kaṭha hesitated, “A disciple should always be to the teacher as a brother or a son, and the teacher as a father; how then can this relationship be?” Bharadvaja insisted, “Do my bidding, which is true; my command is your gift. Remember everything, O Kaṭha, and take Revati with full intent.” Obediently, Kaṭha replied, “So be it.” At his teacher’s word, he took Revati by the hand, as she was duly given to him, and then beheld her. There, together with Revati, Kaṭha worshipped Śaṅkara, the lord of the gods, seeking to please Śiva and to grant beauty to Revati. By the grace of this worship, Revati was transformed—she became beautiful, with lovely limbs, her form now incomparable. The water from her consecration flowed into the sacred river, and thus, in the Ganga, a stream was formed, named Revati, famed for bestowing beauty and good fortune. Again, Kaṭha performed consecration with various kinds of darbha grass to attain auspicious form, and this became the river Vidarbhā. Whoever bathes with faith at the confluence of Revati and the Ganga is freed from all sins and is honored in the world of Viṣṇu. Likewise, O sage, whoever bathes with faith at the confluence of Vidarbhā and Gautamī attains both enjoyment and liberation at that very moment. On both banks there are a hundred excellent sacred fords, each removing all sins and bestowing every accomplishment. Now, hear of another holy place: on the northern bank of the Ganges lies Pūrṇatīrtha. There, even if one bathes unknowingly, auspiciousness is attained. Who among beings can truly describe the greatness of Pūrṇatīrtha, where even the wielder of the discus, Viṣṇu, and the bearer of the trident, Śiva, have themselves been established? In ancient times, at the beginning of a kalpa, Dhanvantari, son of Āyuṣ, performed many sacrifices, the foremost being the Aśvamedha. After giving many gifts and enjoying abundant pleasures, he realized the impermanence and inequality of worldly enjoyments and embraced supreme detachment. Whether on a mountain peak beyond the ocean, on the bank of the Ganges, or in the house of Śiva or Viṣṇu, especially at a holy confluence, all austerities, offerings, and recitations performed there become imperishable. Knowing this, Dhanvantari undertook great austerity there. Filled with knowledge and renunciation, he took refuge at the feet of Bhīmeśa and performed intense austerity at the confluence of the Ganges and the ocean. Long ago, a great demon, defeated in battle by a king, fled in fear and entered the ocean for a thousand years. When Dhanvantari entered the forest, his son obtained the kingdom; and when the king became detached, the demon departed from the ocean. Thus, these sacred places, their stories, and their powers have been revealed—each one a ford to auspiciousness, merit, and liberation for those who approach with faith.