By journeying to the sacred places of Gayā, a devotee is granted extraordinary blessings. When one beholds the holy Koṭīśvara and the site of the Aśvamedha, the weight of worldly debts is lifted. Gazing upon Rāmeśvara, where the divine mace swings, one is assured a place in heaven. Atop Muṇḍapṛṣṭha, the sight of the great goddess Caṇḍī fulfills all desires, while a visit to Gomaka, the lord of cows, and to Mārkaṇḍeyeśvara, brings freedom from ancestral debts. Are not these attainments enough for those who seek virtue? All the sacred fords, oceans, and lakes upon the earth are gathered in the sanctity of Gayā. Within Gayā lies the revered Gayāśira, and in the northern lands, among rivers that shine like gold, sits Nābhitīrtha at the center. There, by offering piṇḍa at a well, one releases the ancestors from their obligations. Bathing at the Haṃsa ford cleanses a person of every sin. When śrāddha is performed for twenty-one souls, they are led to Brahmā’s own world. At Rāma Lake, the śrāddha uplifts the entire ancestral line to Brahmā’s realm. So too at the southern Mānasa Lake, and at the Kūṭa where Bhīṣma is honored, and in the Dhenuka forest—wherever these rites are performed, the ancestors are delivered to the highest world. Whether at the tīrthas of Indra, Nara, Vāsava, or Vaiṣṇava, or at the sacred waters of Gāyatra, Sāvitra, or Sārasvata, the result is the same: the ancestors rise to Brahmā’s world. Satisfying both ancestors and gods, one escapes the cycle of difficult rebirths. At the Dharmāraṇya of Mataṅga or by the holy pond, śrāddha bestows heaven. Let the gods and guardians of the worlds bear witness to this truth. Bathing at Rāma Tīrtha and performing śrāddha at Prabhāsa brings immense merit. Even performing śrāddha at one’s own flourishing home uplifts three times seven generations. In Gayā, every place is a tīrtha, and the fruits gained are imperishable; the ancestors are led to Brahmā’s world. When the piṇḍa is offered, placed into the hands of Janārdana himself, the devotee and his ancestors surely attain Brahmā’s world. Especially at the head of Gayā, beneath the imperishable fig tree, offerings made to the ancestors are eternal. Those who witness these sacred sites uplift twenty generations of their noble lineage. In the east lies the seat of Brahmā, the mountain of serpents, and Bharata’s hermitage. To the south of Gayāśīrṣa and west of the great river, in the region of Niścirā, śrāddha should be performed on the third day. North of the Vaitaraṇī river is the reservoir called Tṛtīyā, and north of Krauñcapāda is the water known as Niścirā. What, then, is beyond reach for one who remains steadfast in Gayā? Such a person attains imperishable worlds and uplifts his lineage. Whoever dwells in Gayā through both the bright and dark fortnights purifies seven generations—this is certain. Within Gayā are Muṇḍapṛṣṭha and the mountain called Aravinda. When a lunar or solar eclipse falls in the sign of Makara, especially at the great lake in Kauśikī and at the root sanctuary, the merit gained is beyond measure. Thus, the sacred land of Gayā stands as a supreme place of pilgrimage, where the devoted uplift their ancestors and attain eternal merit.