The sage said to Janmajeya - Listen while I tell you about the sites visited by Balarama.
Balarama went to the site of Vashishtha on the banks of river Saraswati. He bathed there and fed the poor.
Janmajeya asked - What is special about the place?
The sage said - I have told you earlier about Vashistha and Vishwamitra and their fight. Vishwamitra killed the sons of Vashishtha. He made the king Saudasa a rakshasha and through him he killed the eldest son of Vashistha. Vashishtha's daughter in law was pregnant at that time, and gave birth to the great sage Parasara. His sage was the great Vyasa.
Vashistha's ashrama was on the eastern banks of Saraswati and Vishwamitra was on the western bank. While Vashistha did not want to fight, Vishwamitra was looking for an excuse for the quarrel.
One day Vishwamitra called out to the river Saraswati. Scared of the sage, the river appeared before him. Vishwamitra said Vashistha is meditating. He is lost in that and has no sense left. Go and drown his ashrama.
Fearing Vishwamitra's curse, Saraswati went and flooded the ashrama of Vashistha. Vashistha was lost in meditation and had no sense. He floated away into the ashrama of Vishwamitra. Vishwamitra was pleased. He decided to get a sword and kill his enemy.
When he went to get the sword, the river started thinking. It is because of me that Vashishtha will die. I feared being cursed and thus brought Vashistha over. Let me become cursed but let me save the life of the sage.
Thinking thus, the river pushed Vashistha back into his ashrama. When he returned, Vishwamitra was furious to see what had happened. He cursed Saraswati to become bloody.
The waters of the river turned red. The ghosts and spirits were happy and blessed the sage for having provided them a source of blood.
The sages refused to bathe in the waters of the river. They went to Brahma and asked him to help. Brahma asked them to please Shiva.
On the banks of the river, the sages worshipped Shiva. Making a Shiva linga from the earth they worshiped that with flowers, milk, honey and butter.
Please Shiva appeared before them, riding on his bullock with the trident on his hand. The sages asked him to restore the waters of the rivers and Shiva did that.
This is a great pilgrim spot. Whoever bathes in this atones from the sin of the killing of brahmanas.
The rakshasas who had been feeding on the waters came crying. The sages said From today you will be offered the last part of the sacrifices. Feed on that and be satisfied.
Balarama went to the site of Vashishtha on the banks of river Saraswati. He bathed there and fed the poor.
Janmajeya asked - What is special about the place?
The sage said - I have told you earlier about Vashistha and Vishwamitra and their fight. Vishwamitra killed the sons of Vashishtha. He made the king Saudasa a rakshasha and through him he killed the eldest son of Vashistha. Vashishtha's daughter in law was pregnant at that time, and gave birth to the great sage Parasara. His sage was the great Vyasa.
Vashistha's ashrama was on the eastern banks of Saraswati and Vishwamitra was on the western bank. While Vashistha did not want to fight, Vishwamitra was looking for an excuse for the quarrel.
One day Vishwamitra called out to the river Saraswati. Scared of the sage, the river appeared before him. Vishwamitra said Vashistha is meditating. He is lost in that and has no sense left. Go and drown his ashrama.
Fearing Vishwamitra's curse, Saraswati went and flooded the ashrama of Vashistha. Vashistha was lost in meditation and had no sense. He floated away into the ashrama of Vishwamitra. Vishwamitra was pleased. He decided to get a sword and kill his enemy.
When he went to get the sword, the river started thinking. It is because of me that Vashishtha will die. I feared being cursed and thus brought Vashistha over. Let me become cursed but let me save the life of the sage.
Thinking thus, the river pushed Vashistha back into his ashrama. When he returned, Vishwamitra was furious to see what had happened. He cursed Saraswati to become bloody.
The waters of the river turned red. The ghosts and spirits were happy and blessed the sage for having provided them a source of blood.
The sages refused to bathe in the waters of the river. They went to Brahma and asked him to help. Brahma asked them to please Shiva.
On the banks of the river, the sages worshipped Shiva. Making a Shiva linga from the earth they worshiped that with flowers, milk, honey and butter.
Please Shiva appeared before them, riding on his bullock with the trident on his hand. The sages asked him to restore the waters of the rivers and Shiva did that.
This is a great pilgrim spot. Whoever bathes in this atones from the sin of the killing of brahmanas.
The rakshasas who had been feeding on the waters came crying. The sages said From today you will be offered the last part of the sacrifices. Feed on that and be satisfied.
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