तेन सर्वं वशं नीतं चरा चरमिदंजगत्
By him, everything—moving and unmoving in this world—was brought under control.
नैव देवा न यज्ञाश्च वेदमार्गविवर्जिताः
Neither the gods nor the sacrifices exist without the path of the Vedas.
उत्सन्नो धर्ममार्गोऽयं शाश्वतो वै दुरात्मना 5.1.57.
This eternal path of righteousness has been destroyed by the wicked.
ब्रह्माणं शरणं जग्मुः पितृभिः सह साधुभिः
Together with the ancestors and the virtuous, they sought refuge in Brahmā.
इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तेषां ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः
Having heard their words, Brahmā, the grandfather of the worlds,
तत्र गत्वा समाराध्य विष्णुं देवगणैः सह
Went there and, together with the hosts of gods, worshipped Viṣṇu.
प्रचक्रुः सर्व एवैते ह्यात्मनोभ्युदयाय च
All of them acted for the advancement of their own selves.
श्रूयतां भोः सुरश्रेष्ठा भवतां श्रेय उत्तमम्
Hear, O best of gods, the highest good for you.
गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं पुण्यं पवित्रं पापनाशनम्
This is a merit greater than the most secret, pure, and destroyer of sin.
सर्वतीर्थमयं तीर्थं कोटितीर्थवरप्रदम्
It is the holy place composed of all sacred fords, bestowing the boon of ten million holy places.
दैत्यांतकारिणी दिव्या महाकाली कुलेश्वरी
The divine Mahākālī, destroyer of demons and sovereign of lineages, abides there.
यत्र गया महापुण्या फल्गुश्चैव महानदी
There is Gaya, supremely holy, and the great river Phalgu as well.
तथैवाद्यगया ख्याता त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता 5.1.57.
In the same way, this present-day Gaya is renowned and celebrated in all three worlds.
सर्वपापहरा पुण्या यत्र प्राची सरस्वती
There, the eastern Sarasvatī, holy and remover of all sins, is found.
न्यग्रोधश्चाक्षयो नित्यः पुरा प्रोक्तो महर्षिणा
There too stands the eternal, imperishable banyan tree, once spoken of by the great sage.
तत्रैव संति ताः सर्वा देवताः पितृकल्पजाः
All those deities, born in the manner of ancestors, are present there.
सर्वतीर्थमया देवा गयातीर्थमनुत्तमम्
The gods, embodying all sacred fords, are at the unsurpassed holy place of Gaya.
यत्र प्रविष्टमात्रेण पितरो निरयस्थिताः
Where, upon merely entering, ancestors dwelling in hell are liberated.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पञ्चम आवंत्यखण्डेऽवन्तीक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये गयातीर्थमाहात्म्ये गयातीर्थप्रशंसावर्णनं नाम सप्तपञ्चा शत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the seventy-fifth chapter named 'The Praise of Gaya Tīrtha,' in the section on the greatness of Avanti Kṣetra, in the fifth book of the eighty-one-thousand-verse Mahāpurāṇa Śrī Skanda.
भगवन्भवता सर्वं विदितं विश्वमूर्तिना
O Lord, all is known to you, who are the form of the universe.
तत्सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि श्राद्धस्य फलमुत्तमम्
I wish to hear from you the supreme fruit of the śrāddha rite.
कियंतः पितरो नित्यं तृप्ता यांति सुरालयम्
For how long are the ancestors always satisfied and reach the abode of the gods?
तथापि शृणु वै वत्स श्राद्धस्य विधिमुत्तमम्
Nevertheless, listen, dear one, to the supreme procedure of śrāddha.
श्राद्धे प्रकल्पिता लोकाः श्राद्धे धर्मः प्रतिष्ठितः
Worlds are established through śrāddha; righteousness is founded in śrāddha.
श्रद्धया दीयते किंचिद्दैवं ब्रह्माग्नितर्पणम्
Whatever is given with faith—whether to the gods, to Brahmā, or as an offering to fire—
मनुष्या ऋषयः सर्वे सुरसिद्धाश्च राक्षसाः
All humans, sages, divine beings, perfected ones, and even demons—
त्रीन्पितॄंश्च समुद्दिश्य श्राद्धं दद्युः समाहिताः
With focused mind, they should offer the śrāddha rite, addressing the three ancestral lines.
एवं परंपरामार्गं प्रवर्तंते सनातनम्
Thus, the eternal tradition proceeds in succession.
तत्सर्वं संप्रवक्ष्यामि यथा श्रुतं तथा शृणु 5.1.58.
I will explain all this as it has been heard; listen accordingly.
अन्योन्यं पितरो ह्येते देवाः पितृगणैः सह
These ancestors are indeed gods, together with the groups of Pitṛs.