Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 11
Balarāma Slays Balvala and Visits Sacred Tīrthas; He Attempts to Stop Bhīma–Duryodhana
गोमतीं गण्डकीं स्नात्वा विपाशां शोण आप्लुत: । गयां गत्वा पितृनिष्ट्वा गङ्गासागरसङ्गमे ॥ ११ ॥ उपस्पृश्य महेन्द्राद्रौ रामं दृष्ट्वाभिवाद्य च । सप्तगोदावरीं वेणां पम्पां भीमरथीं तत: ॥ १२ ॥ स्कन्दं दृष्ट्वा ययौ राम: श्रीशैलं गिरिशालयम् । द्रविडेषु महापुण्यं दृष्ट्वाद्रिं वेङ्कटं प्रभु: ॥ १३ ॥ कामकोष्णीं पुरीं काञ्चीं कावेरीं च सरिद्वराम् । श्रीरङ्गाख्यं महापुण्यं यत्र सन्निहितो हरि: ॥ १४ ॥ ऋषभाद्रिं हरे: क्षेत्रं दक्षिणां मथुरां तथा । सामुद्रं सेतुमगमत्महापातकनाशनम् ॥ १५ ॥
gomatīṁ gaṇḍakīṁ snātvā vipāśāṁ śoṇa āplutaḥ gayāṁ gatvā pitṝn iṣṭvā gaṅgā-sāgara-saṅgame
婆罗摩主在戈摩提、犍陀姬与毗帕沙诸河中沐浴，又沉浸于首那河；前往伽耶祭奉祖灵，并在恒河入海之处行净浴。于摩诃因陀罗山，祂得见帕罗修罗摩而致敬；继而在戈达瓦丽七支流及韦那、彭帕、毗摩罗提诸河中沐浴。随后会见斯甘达，前往湿利·舍伊拉——吉利沙之居所。在南方达罗毗荼之地，至尊主瞻礼圣洁的文迦塔山、迦摩拘什尼与建支城、尊贵的迦韦丽河，以及至圣的室利兰伽——哈利在此显现。之后又至利沙婆山、哈利之圣域与南方摩图罗，最终抵达海滨的塞图班达，能摧灭最重罪业之地。
Usually one goes to Gayā to worship deceased forefathers. But as Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains, although Lord Balarāma’s father and grandfather were still alive, it was on His father’s order that He carefully worshiped His forefathers at Gayā. Drawing insight from the Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī, the ācārya further explains that although Lord Balarāma was in the immediate proximity of Jagannātha Purī, He did not go there, since He wanted to avoid the embarrassment of having to worship Himself among the forms of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Balabhadra and Subhadrā.