Whenever, on any of three special days, the Sun, Jupiter, or Moon appears in the sky, and when these celestial bodies align with three particular constellations, it is said—by Brahma himself—that these are the most sacred times. On such days, if one bathes at Pushkara, the merit gained equals that of performing the great Ashvamedha sacrifice. Gifts given at this time, and offerings made to the ancestors, become inexhaustible in their reward. There is a rare and auspicious conjunction called Pushkara, when the Sun is in the constellation Vishakha and the Moon is in Krittika. This event is exceedingly uncommon at Pushkara, but when it occurs, it is supremely holy. In those moments, it is said that the sacred ancestral site itself descends from the heavens, and those who bathe there are granted entry into worlds of great glory. Such is the completeness of the merit gained that they no longer desire any other virtue or reward, whether already attained or still to be pursued. This, O king, is the truth as spoken by the wise. Among all sacred places upon earth, Pushkara is considered the foremost. Nowhere in all the worlds is a place holier than this mentioned. Especially during the month of Kartika, Pushkara is supremely auspicious and effective at removing sin. From the Udumbara forest, the holy river Sarasvati herself has come, making this place even more sacred. By Sarasvati’s presence, Pushkara, already a favorite haunt of sages, became filled with her sanctity. Not far from the mountain, the southern peak stands out, shining brilliantly. Its color is like dark collyrium, and it is surrounded by a blue-green meadow, so that its peak appears in the sky like a blossoming lotus. In the rainy season, this peak rises tall into the clouds, resembling a great mass of rain-laden sky. The air is rich with the fragrance of kadamba flowers, and the slopes are adorned with kuṭaja and arjuna trees. The mountain’s summit seems as if it is set to ascend the very path of the Sun’s chariot, rounded and smooth, with gentle, raised forms reminiscent of the breasts of women. All around, the peak glows with the beauty of splendid śrī fruits, and everywhere swarms of humming bees add to its charm. The summit is delightful, filled with the melodious calls of cuckoos and the cries of peacocks, and lovely birds flutter and rise above it. From a broad cluster of bamboo, the river Sarasvati, daughter of Brahma, emerges, her waters both pure and impure, and she flows northward. But not far from her source, she turns and begins to flow southward. From that point on, the goddess remains manifest and serene, no longer hidden. Out of compassion for living beings, the river—manifesting as Kanaka, Suprabhā, Nandā, Prācī, and Sarasvatī herself—abandons her concealment. At Pushkara, Brahma declares her to have five streams, and along her banks are many delightful tīrthas and sacred shrines. These holy places are frequented by sages and accomplished beings alike. Among all these tīrthas, Sarasvati is the very cause of righteousness. At these sacred sites of the golden-earth goddesses, any gift given after bathing brings inexhaustible reward. The great sages proclaim that giving grain and sesame here is the highest act. Whatever is given at these tīrthas by the faithful is established as the supreme cause of righteousness. Whoever, with devotion and effort, undertakes a fast unto death here—be it man or woman—fixing their mind on the tīrtha, attains the fruit they desire in Brahma’s own abode. Indeed, whoever dies upon these banks—whether their karma is exhausted, whether they are among moving or unmoving beings—all are forcibly granted the rare fruit of sacrifice. Therefore, Sarasvati, the great river, is to be served with devotion and effort by all. She is the source of all righteous fruits, the remover of suffering from birth and its woes, and she bestows beautiful rewards in their entirety. Those who continually drink the purified waters of Pushkara are no longer mere mortals; they become gods established in this world. The merit that twice-born people gain through sacrifices, gifts, and austerities is here gained by mere bathing, even by śūdras, each according to their nature. Even great sinners, upon seeing Pushkara, are freed from their sins, and when their bodies perish, they ascend to heaven. Anyone who observes a fast at the yajña of Puṇḍarīka at Pushkara attains its fruit swiftly and with little effort. Whoever, in the month of Māgha, gives sesame seeds to a twice-born, according to their ability and with devotion, dwells in the abode of Vishnu. Whoever performs fasting, bathing, and the ritual eating of pañcagavya here also attains heaven at the end of their life. Even those nearby, even if they are from the lineage of thieves, are lifted to heaven by the influence of such a person—there can be no doubt. Those who live by the ways of the śūdra, who fast for three nights and give wealth to the twice-born, empowered by Brahma, when they die, ascend on celestial vehicles, seated on lotus thrones with four arms, and attain union with Brahma, never to be born again. Where the sacred Ganga, best of rivers, reaches the place called Gaṅgodbheda, Sarasvati, longing to see her, emerges from the sky for consolation. There, purified by its waters, served by gods and siddhas, Sarasvati is worshipped by hosts of vidyādharas and is to be recognized as supremely pure. Whoever drinks a single handful of water there, and, facing east, addresses Ganga, saying, “Ganga, friend, by you— I am alone, separated; where shall I go, without kin?”—Ganga, understanding her sorrow, sees Sarasvati weeping in distress. Ganga comes from the eastern region to meet her afflicted friend. Seeing Sarasvati, Ganga embraces her and comforts her suffering. Wiping Sarasvati’s eyes, Ganga speaks gently: “Do not weep, O noble one. You have accomplished a most difficult task, friend. The work of the gods could not have been done by another; therefore, the gods themselves have assembled here to see you. Let worship be performed for them—by speech, mind, body, and action.” Sarasvati, thus instructed, worships the lords of the gods in the prescribed manner, honoring the divine assembly at that sacred confluence.