Naimiṣāraṇya (forest)

[3] The ancient forest corresponds to modern day Nimsar, situated along the Gomati river in the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh, India.

In the Varaha Purana, it has been described as the region where the daityas (a clan of asuras) were slain within a nimiśa (smallest unit of time), and the place was made an abode of peace.

In the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata, the forest is mentioned as situated towards east (prācīm diśam) of the mountain regions of Himavat which contained many sacred spots.

Here Śaunaka had performed a twelve years sacrifice which was attended by a large number of seers, of whom the most prominent and distinguished was Ugraśrava-Sauti, the son of Romaharṣaṇa.

Sauti's father Romaharṣaṇa who was a disciple of the great Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, had once narrated the story of Āstīka before the inhabitants of the forest at the latter's request.