to heaven.  The space between the Tarantuka and the Arantuka and the lakes of Rama and Shamachakra, is known as Kurukshetra.  Samantapanchaka is called the northern (sacrificial) altar of Brahman, the Lord of all creatures.  Auspicious and highly sacred and much regarded by the denizens of heaven is this spot that possesses all attributes.  It is for this that Kshatriyas slain in battle here obtain sacred regions of eternal blessedness.  Even this was said by Shakra himself about the high blessedness of Kurukshetra.  All that Shakra said was again approved and sanctioned by Brahman, by Vishnu, and by Maheshvara.’”

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Vaishampayana said, “Having visited Kurukshetra and given away wealth there, he of the Satwata race then proceeded, O Janamejaya, to a large and exceedingly beautiful hermitage.  That hermitage was overgrown with Madhuka and mango trees, and abounded with Plakshas and Nyagrodhas.  And it contained many Vilwas and many excellent jack and Arjuna trees.  Beholding that goodly asylum with many marks of sacredness, Baladeva asked the Rishis as to whose it was.  Those high-souled ones, O king, said unto Baladeva, ’Listen in detail, O Rama, as to whose asylum this was in days of yore!  Here the god Vishnu in days of yore performed austere penances.  Here he performed duly all the eternal sacrifices.  Here a Brahmani maiden, leading from youth the vow of Brahmacharya, became crowned with ascetic success.  Ultimately, in the possession of Yoga powers, that lady of ascetic penances proceeded to heaven.  The high-souled Sandilya, O king, got a beautiful daughter who was chaste, wedded to severe vows, self-restrained, and observant of Brahmacharya.  Having performed the severest of penances such as are incapable of being performed by women, the blessed lady at last went to heaven, worshipped by the gods and Brahmanas!’ Having heard these words of the Rishis, Baladeva entered that asylum.  Bidding farewell to the Rishis, Baladeva of unfading glory went through the performance of all the rites and ceremonies of the evening twilight on the side of Himavat and then began his ascent of the mountain.  The mighty Balarama having the device of the palmyra on his banner had not proceeded far in his ascent when he beheld a sacred and goodly tirtha and wondered at the sight.  Beholding the glory of the Sarasvati, as also the tirtha called Plakshaprasravana, Vala next reached another excellent and foremost of tirthas called Karavapana.  The hero of the plough, of great strength, having made many presents there, bathed in the cool, clear, sacred, and sin-cleansing water (of that tirtha).  Passing one night there with the ascetics and the Brahmanas, Rama then proceeded to the sacred asylum of the Mitra-Varunas.  From Karavapana he proceeded to that spot on the Yamuna where in days of yore Indra and Agni and Aryaman had obtained great happiness.  Bathing there, that bull of Yadu’s race, of righteous soul, obtained great happiness.  The hero then sat himself down