At this time the sacred places which purify are in great vogue, and in Gautama a list of them is given (19.

14), viz.: "all mountains, all rivers, holy pools, places of pilgrimage (_i.e_., river-fords, _tirth[=a]ni_), homes of saints, cow-pens, and altars." Of these the _tirthas_ are particularly interesting, as they later become of great importance, thousands of verses in the epic being devoted to their enumeration and praise.
Gautama says also that ascetics, according to some teachers, need not be householders first (3.

1), and that the Brahman ascetic stays at home during the rainy season, like the heretic monks (_ib_.

13).

If one examine the relative importance of the forms and spirit of religion as taught in this, the oldest _dharma-s[=u]tra_,[19] he will be impressed at first with the tremendous weight laid on the former as compared with the latter.