“Since you have visited them all, please tell me this, which is the best of all the tirtha?” asked Indra.

“I don’t know the answer to that question,” replied Narada. “All the tirthas are sacred.”

Indra thereupon summoned all the tirthas to his court and they all arrived there, each looking more resplendent than the other.

Amongst these tirthas were - Ganga, Narmada, Punya, Chandrabhaga, Sarasvati, Devika, Bimbika, Kubja, Prasiddha, Kunjala, Manjula, Rambha, Bhanumati, Sugharghara, Shona, Sindhusoubira, Kaveri, Kapila, Kumuda, Veda, Maheshvari, Charmanvati, Lopa, Sukoushiki, Suhamsi, Hamsapada, Hamsabega, Manoratha, Surutha, Svaruna, Vena, Bhadravena, Supadmini, Nahali, Sumaricha, Pulindika, Hema, Divya, Chandrika, Vedasamkrama, Jvala, Hutashani, Svaha, Kala, Kapilika, Svadha, Sukala, Linga, Gambhira, Bhimavahini, Devadrichi, Viravaha, Lakshahoma, Aghapaha, Parashari, Hemagarbha, Subhadra and Vasuputrika. There were merely the rivers.

There were several cities as well. Among them were Prayaga, Arghyadirgha, Pushkara, Varanasi, Dvaravati, Prabhasa, Avanti, Naimisha, Maharatna, Chandaka, Maheshvara, Baleshvara, Kalinjara, Brahmakshetra, Mathura, Manavahaka, Maya and Kanti.

The tirthas saluted Indra and asked, “King of the gods, we have all come. Why have you summoned us? What can we do for you?”

“I wish to know which among you is superior to all the others,” said Indra. “There are some sins which are really serious. Examples would be the killing of cows; the killing of women; the defiance of one’s husband; drinking wine; stealing gold; criticising one’s teacher; being a traitor to one’s friends; breaking the images of the gods; arson; and running away from the field of battle. Which amongst you are powerful enough to cleanse such sins?”

“We are not all equally powerful or equally sacred,” answered the tirthas. “But the most sacred undoubtedly are Prayaga, Pushkara, Arghyatirtha and Varanasi.”

In fact, there is a story connected with the tirthas. Many years ago, there was a kshatriya (the second of the four classes) named Vidura in the land of Panchala. In a fit of anger, Vidura killed a brahmana. This was a very serious sin. Vidura visited several tirthas, but his sin would not be pardoned.

Vidura’s travels brought him to the land of Malava where there lived a brahmana named Chandrasharma. This fellow had committed the sin of killing his teacher. He too had visited several tirthas, but his sin had not been pardoned.

Vidura and Chanrasharma started to travel together. In the course of their travels, they met another brahmana named Vedasharma. This person had committed the sin of marrying someone he should not have married. His sin had also not been pardoned, although he had visited many tirthas. Vidura, Chandrasharma and Vedasharma began to travel as a group.