Always smeared with white sandalpaste, Vala, having the plough
for his weapon, beholding that foremost of rivers change her course,
became, O king, filled with wonder."
Janamejaya said, "Why, O Brahmana, did the Sarasvati bend her course
there in an easternly direction? O best of Adharyus, it behoveth thee to
tell me everything relating to this! For what reason was that daughter of
the Yadus filled with wonder? Why, indeed, did that foremost of rivers
thus alter her course?"
Vaishampayana said, "Formerly, in the Krita age, O king, the ascetics
dwelling in Naimisha were engaged in a grand sacrifice extending for
twelve years. Many were the Rishis, O king, that came to that sacrifice.
Passing their days, according to due rites, in the performance of that
sacrifice, those highly blessed ones, after the completion of that twelve
years' sacrifice at Naimisha, set out in large number for visiting the
tirthas. In consequence of the number of the Rishis, O king, the tirthas
on the southern banks of the Sarasvati all looked like towns and cities.
Those foremost of Brahmanas, O tiger among men, in consequence of their
eagerness for enjoying the merits of tirthas, took up their abodes on the
bank of the river up to the site of Samantapanchaka. The whole region
seemed to resound with the loud Vedic recitations of those Rishis of
cleansed souls, all employed in pouring libations on sacrificial fires.
That foremost of rivers looked exceedingly beautiful with those blazing
homa fires all around, over which those high-souled ascetics poured
libations of clarified butter.
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