Chapter 24 - The Greatness of Dharmāraṇya

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Vyāsa said:

1. This is the greatness of this holy spot which has been narrated to you. O lord of the earth, it destroys sins incurred in innumerable previous births.

2. It is the holy spot that is the most excellent of all holy spots. It is a great means of achieving prosperity. Formerly it was narrated to Skanda by the intelligent Mahārudra.

3-4. O son of Kuntī, you shall be rid of all sins by taking your holy bath there.

On hearing these words of Vyāsa, Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Dharma, entered Dharmāraṇya, O dear one. He was wholly engaged in protection of the good and hence for wiping off all great sins (he went there).

5. He plunged into the holy tanks and pools, visited the shrines. Iṣṭa and Pūrta rites were performed by him as he desired.

6. O Mahāsena (Skanda), having been absolved of all sins thus he went back to his city Indraprastha and ruled the earth.

7. If excellent men come to this place and listen to the stories of the lord and the glory of this sacred place, undoubtedly they will have enjoyment of worldly pleasures and salvation.

8-9. After enjoying worldly pleasures, they will enjoy the highest salvation. If Brāhmaṇas read this at the time of Śrāddha, they uplift all the manes as long as the moon, the sun and the earth exist.

This has been said by the noble-souled Vyāsa born in Dvāpara Yuga.

10. A mortal being whose sins are at the place (office) of Yama, but who comes to this place Dharmāraṇya, shall get the benefit of the Śrāddha at Gayā from the water alone of Dharmavāpī (the holy pool).

11-12. This has been stated by Dharmaputra with a desire for the benefit of the worlds: “Without offering cooked rice, without Darbha grass, and the holy postures (but) merely with the water, the sin committed in the course of ten million births is destroyed. By performing water libations in Dharmavāpī one gets the merit of making gifts at the time of a solar eclipse in the holy spot Kurukṣetra, of a thousand cows of big horns.

13-14. Every activity connected with Dharmāraṇya has been narrated to you. By listening to this a Brāhmaṇa-slayer and cow-killer becomes rid of all sins. By listening to this once, one gets that merit which accrued by offering balls of rice at Gayā twenty-one times.