O best of sages, let me describe to you a most delightful and sacred place, whose very banks are charming beyond compare. From this hallowed land arose the river Tamasā, flowing forth in many streams, a river so holy that the mere sight of it destroys all the sins of those who come near. Its banks are adorned with blooming shrubs of every kind, their blossoms entwined with trailing vines, casting an enchanting spell over all who behold them. Everywhere, the air is fragrant with tamāla shrubs, resplendent karṇikāra, and bakula trees. In some places, the banks are dusted with the golden pollen of blooming lotuses, while birds flit about, seeking out the sweetest and most beautiful fruits. Elsewhere, the calls of cakravāka birds fill the air, and clusters of kādamba trees stand in proud array. Swarms of bees, intoxicated by the nectar of the flowers, hum joyfully as they move from blossom to blossom. Birds of many kinds, radiant and joyful, fill the groves with their songs, and the excited cries of flocks of parrots add to the lively chorus. The landscape is dense with deep-blue nīcula trees, where peacocks display their splendor and jubilant flocks of birds sing in delight. Thus, in every direction, the place is adorned with manifold beauty, enchanting the heart and mind. By the power of such loveliness, this place became a sacred and ever-purifying tīrtha. Long ago, it was here that the great and holy hermitage of the sage Gautama was established, founded by your own father, the treasure of austerity. The area is graced with various tīrthas and hermitages of every kind, each radiating sanctity. The auspicious river that flows here is known by the name Tamasā. Especially on its banks, by bathing, giving gifts, and performing ancestral rites, one attains great merit—most particularly on the fifteenth day of the bright half of the month Mārgaśīrṣa. Therefore, those with pure minds should come here to bathe and perform their sacred duties. Now, let me tell you of another supremely auspicious place beyond the Tamasā. In the month of Bhādra, on the bright fourth day, pilgrimage to this site brings the highest good; even by merely remembering it, all obstacles are destroyed. In the southern direction lies a tīrtha called Bhairava, protected by Vāsudeva for the safeguarding of the region. By devotion to Bhairava, one’s cherished desires are always fulfilled. This sacred place was established on the eighth day of the dark half of Mārgaśīrṣa. Here, people should make offerings of animals and other gifts as part of the worship. By the grace of Bhairava, residence in this holy place is free from obstacles. In the northern part of this region lies the delightful Bharata-kunda. Bathing and giving gifts here bestow inexhaustible merit. The deities should be worshipped with care, adorned with garments and ornaments. Whoever meditates on Rama Chandra in his heart, with a pure mind and controlled senses, finds special blessing here. It was at this very spot that the great king Bharata built a magnificent reservoir, a source of immense merit and virtue. Swans, cranes, chakravaka ducks, and many other splendid birds grace its waters. Bathing here brings pure joy and delight, pleases the ancestors, and wins the favor of all the deities. One should also give gold and food properly to a twice-born person to enhance the merit. To the west from there lies the excellent Jatakunda, renowned as the foremost among all sacred reservoirs. In the earlier reservoirs, Bharata—endowed with fortune—should be worshipped, and on the fourteenth day of the dark half of Chaitra, an annual pilgrimage is observed. According to the highest ordinances, one should worship Rama and Sita, and then Lakshmana, at Bharata-kunda. O Brahmin, one should also worship Ajita here, for such worship assures success. A great festival should be held, accompanied by singing and instrumental music, filling the air with celebration. To the north of this, O wise one, is yet another auspicious sign of the hero, marking the land as truly sacred. Thus is the glory of this region, where every step is blessed, and every act of devotion brings the highest reward.