In that sacred land, as the first rays of the sun break over the horizon, golden sacrificial posts stand gleaming, their brilliance a testament to the sanctity of the place. Pilgrims circumambulate these posts with reverence, and, as if blessed by the divine, they ascend to heaven, vanishing from mortal sight. All around lies Kurukṣetra, renowned as a supremely holy region, and especially revered is the place dedicated to the great yogin Sanatkumāra. It is said that by offering sesame seeds there, one’s ancestors are granted inexhaustible merit, their well-being assured for eternity. For those seeking strength and imperishable blessings for their forebears, the śrāddha ceremony should be performed at the very abode of Dharmarāja, the Lord of Righteousness; especially potent is a śrāddha offered on the new moon day according to tradition. Kurukṣetra, in particular, calls for the worship of the ancestors who are present there. By honoring them in this way, a true son is freed from all ancestral debts. Other hallowed sites are also mentioned: where the Sarasvatī river disappears into the earth, at Plakṣa Praśravaṇa, at Vyāsa Tīrtha upon the Sarasvatī’s banks, and especially at Brahmakṣetra. Those who desire imperishable śrāddha should perform it while reciting the sacred Oṃkāra, and similarly on the banks of the Gaṅgā and atop the great mountain Maināka. At the source of the Yamunā river, all sins are washed away, signified by the waters that are at once scalding and frigid. The Yamunā is the virtuous sister of Yama and daughter of Mārttaṇḍa; śrāddha performed there is everlasting, as the ancestors themselves have praised. Bathing in the lake favored by Brahmā instantly transforms one into a brāhmaṇa, and there, śrāddha, recitation of prayers, offerings, and austerities are unending. In this sacred region, the great ascetic Vasiṣṭha once stood motionless like a pillar, and even today, trees adorned with jewels are seen, bearing witness to his penance. There, too, is a balance that reveals righteousness and unrighteousness; when brāhmaṇas use it, the supreme merit of the sacred places is made known. One finds mention of Yogā, also called Gandhakālī, the daughter of the ancestors, renowned as a fourth part of Brahmā and a glory of the lineage of Parāśara. It is foretold that the wise and great sage Parāśara will divide one Veda into four and will father Vyāsa, the great yogin and noble soul. At the lake called Acchodaka, the maiden Acchodā emerged, later reborn in the womb of a fish by the command of Vāraṇa. Her hermitage, frequented by the virtuous, is a place where even a single śrāddha is declared imperishable; whatever is offered there with yogic concentration manifests instantly. On the summit of Kubera, atop the height called Vyāma, and at Vyāsa Tīrtha, a brāhmaṇa who offers śrāddha there attains endless, imperishable merit. These places are ever frequented by the perfected ones, unseen by those of impure mind; at Nandā, at the altar in the northeast, there is no return for those who reach it. This field of the perfected is cherished beyond compare. Having entered it, one does not return to mortal existence. In that great abode, the wise Mahādeva established his own place. There, in the goddess’s dwelling, the Lord performed austerity standing on one foot, and the divine water, like mist, remains on the summit of Umā. Other summits, too, are sacred: the summit of Umā, of Bhṛgu, of Brahmā; the great abode, Kādravatī, Śāṇḍilya, and the cave of Vāmana. By journeying to these places, one is purified, and śrāddha performed there is truly imperishable. Any recitation, offering, meditation, or meritorious act undertaken there yields immense and lasting fruit. Those who are devoted to their teacher practice celibacy for a hundred years as a sacrifice; yet by bathing in these holy places, one immediately attains such excellent results. There flows the stream called Kumāradhārā, which destroys all sin; and whatever seat or vehicle is seen there is instantly auspicious. The great sacred place of Kāśyapa is known as Kālasarpi; there, one who desires imperishable merit should always offer śrāddha. Śrāddha performed around Śālagrāma is also imperishable; though invisible to ordinary eyes, it is directly perceived by those whose hearts are pure. There, the unworthy are given clear indication of their state, while the worthy find a residence; in that sacred lake, the divine lord of serpents dwells, accepting offerings from the virtuous, but not from the wicked. Food cannot be eaten there, for the serpents blaze with fiery intensity. Righteousness is directly revealed at these two sacred places, and in the Devadāru forest as well, where the example is set for all. Sins are shaken off and seen to depart from the virtuous; at Bhāgīrathī and Prayāga, imperishability is always declared. At Kālañjara, Daśārṇā, Naimiṣa, Kurujāṅgala, and in the city of Vārāṇasī, śrāddha should be performed with great care. In these places, the lord of yoga is ever present, and whatever is given there is imperishable; by giving at these places, one is purified, and the śrāddha becomes infinite. Austerity, offering, meditation, or any meritorious act performed at Lauhitya, Vaitaraṇī, or Svarṇavedī bears great fruit. Even a single meritorious deed at the edge of the ocean is seen and honored, as are those at Gayā, Dharmapṛṣṭha, and the lake of Brahmā. At Gayā and Gṛdhrakūṭa, śrāddha given yields abundant fruit, and there, for five yojanas around, snow falls unceasingly. In the holy hermitage of Bharata, the forest is remembered as most sacred; there, the footprint of Mataṅga is visible to the physical eye. The fullness of righteousness is proclaimed there, a model for the world. Thus, the five sacred forests are frequented by the virtuous, and among them, the holy place called Pāṇḍuviśāla stands out immediately. By means of balances, bows, and various scriptures, those who have committed sins are made to rise at the proper time. In the third quarter, at the place called Pavamaṇḍala—without a presiding deity—a śrāddha offered at the great lake Kauśikī yields great merit. And finally, on Muṇḍapṛṣṭha, the wise Mahādeva placed his foot, having performed severe and difficult austerities for many divine ages, sanctifying the land for all time.