Vayu Purana

पुण्यो यस्त्रिषु लोकेष्वमरकण्टकपर्वतः। पर्वतः प्रवरः पुण्यः सिद्धचारणसेवितः ।। १५.

Among the three worlds, Amarakaṇṭaka mountain is holy; it is a foremost, sacred mountain, frequented by perfected beings and celestial wanderers.

यत्र वर्षसहस्राणि प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च। तपः सुदुश्चरं तेपे भगवानङ्गिराः पुरा ।। १५.

There, for thousands and millions of years, the venerable Aṅgirā once performed extremely difficult austerities.

यत्र मृत्योर्गतिर्नास्ति तथैवासुररक्षसाम्। न भयं चैव वाऽलक्ष्मीर्यावद्भूमिर्धरिष्यति ।। १५.

There, neither death nor the path of demons and rakṣasas exists; nor is there fear or misfortune, as long as the earth endures.

तेजसा यशसा चैव भ्राजते स नगोत्तमः। श्रृङ्गमाल्यवतो नित्यं वह्निः संवर्तको यथा ।। १५.

That supreme mountain shines with brilliance and fame, its peaks always adorned, like the fire of dissolution.

मृदवश्च सुगन्धाश्च हेमाभाः प्रियदर्शनाः । शान्ताः कुशा इति ख्याताः पिबन्दक्षिणनर्मदाम् ।। १५.

Soft, fragrant, golden-hued, pleasing to the eye, peaceful—such are the kuśa grasses, renowned for drinking the southern Narmadā.

दृष्टवान् स्वर्गसोपानं भगवानङ्गिराः पुरा। अग्निहोत्रे महातेजाः प्रस्तरार्थकुशोत्तमान् ।। १५.

The venerable Aṅgirā once beheld the stairway to heaven, possessing great energy in the agnihotra, and the excellent kuśa grasses for the stone altar.

तेषु दर्भेषु यः पिण्डानमरकण्टकपर्वते। दद्यात्सकृदपि प्राज्ञस्तस्य वक्ष्यामि यत्फलम् ।। १५.

Among those kuśa grasses, whoever, even once, offers rice balls on Amarakaṇṭaka mountain, being wise—I shall declare to you the fruit of that act.

तद्भवत्यक्षयं श्राद्धं पितॄणां प्रीतिवर्द्धनम् । अन्तर्द्धानं च गच्छन्ति क्षेत्रमासाद्य तत्सदा ।। १५.

That śrāddha becomes inexhaustible, increasing the satisfaction of the ancestors; and, upon reaching that sacred place, they always attain disappearance.

तत्र ज्वालारसः पुण्यो दृश्यतेऽद्यापि सर्वशः। सशल्यानां च सत्त्वानां विशल्यकरणी नदी ।। १५.

There, the sacred essence of flame is still seen everywhere even today; and for beings pierced by arrows, there is a river that removes their wounds.

प्राग्दक्षिणा तु सावर्त्ता वापी सा पर्वतोत्तमे। कलिङ्गदेशपार्श्वार्द्धे पितॄणां प्रीतिवर्द्धनम् ।। १५.

To the east and south, there is a circular pond on the highest mountain, on the border of Kaliṅga land, which increases the satisfaction of the ancestors.

सिद्धक्षेत्रमृषिश्रेष्टा यदुक्तं परमं भुवि। सम्मतो देवदैत्यानां श्लोकमप्युशना जगौ ।। १५.

That supreme field of perfection, praised by the best of sages on earth, is honored by gods and demons; even Uśanas sang its glory in verse.

धन्यास्ते पुरुषा लोके ये प्राप्यामरकण्टकम्। पितॄन्सन्तर्पयिष्यन्ति श्राद्धे पितृपरायणाः ।। १५.

Blessed are those people in the world who, having reached Amarakaṇṭaka, will satisfy their ancestors with śrāddha, being devoted to their forefathers.

अल्पेन तपसा सिद्धिं गमिष्यन्ति न संशयः। सकृदेवार्चितास्तत्र स्वर्गममरकण्टके ।। १५.

With little austerity, they will attain success there, without doubt; even if worshipped just once, they reach heaven at Amarakaṇṭaka.

महेन्द्रपर्वते रम्ये पुण्यं शक्रनिषेवितम्। तत्रारुह्य भवेत् प्रीतिः श्राद्धं चैव महत्फलम् ।। १५.

On the delightful Mahendra mountain, sanctified by Indra, ascending there brings joy and the śrāddha yields great fruit.

बिल्वाधःशिखरे युक्ता दिव्यं चक्षुः प्रवर्त्तते। अदृश्यं चैव भूतानां देववच्चरते महीम् ।। १५.

On the peak beneath the bilva tree, endowed with divine sight, one moves unseen among beings and roams the earth like a god.

सप्तगोदावरे चैव गोकर्णे च तपोवने। अश्वमेधफलं तत्र स्नात्वा च लभतेनरः ।। १५.

At Saptagodāvara and at Gokarṇa in the sacred forest, by bathing there, a man obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.

धूतपापस्थलं प्राप्य पूतः स्नात्वा भवेन्नरः। रुद्रस्तत्र तपस्तेपे देवदेवो महेश्वरः ।। १५.

Having reached the place where sins are washed away, a man becomes purified by bathing; there, Rudra, the great god of gods, performed austerity.

गोकर्णे वर्णितं विप्रैर्नस्तिकानां निदर्शनम्। अब्राह्मणस्य सावित्री पठतः सम्प्रणश्यति ।। १५.

At Gokarṇa, as described by the sages, is an example for non-believers: the Sāvitrī recited by a non-brāhmaṇa is destroyed.

देवर्षिभवने श्रृङ्गे सिद्धचारणसेविते। आरुह्य तं तु नियमात्ततो यान्ति त्रिविष्टपम् ।। १५.

In the abode of the divine sages, on the peak attended by perfected beings and celestial bards, ascending there with discipline, they go to heaven.

दिव्यैश्वन्दनवृक्षैश्च पादपैरुपशोभितम्। आपः स्वादनसम्पृक्ता वहन्ति सततंयतः ।। १५.

Adorned with divine sandalwood trees and other trees, the waters there are always mixed with sweet flavors and flow continuously.

नदी प्रवर्त्तते ताभ्यस्ताम्रपर्णीति नामतः। योषेव समहाखेदा दक्षिणं याति सागरम् ।। १५.

From those, the river named Tāmravarṇī flows forth; like a woman bearing great fatigue, she goes south to the ocean.

नद्यास्तस्यास्तु या आपो मूर्च्छमाना महोदधौ। शङ्खा भवन्ति मुक्ताश्च जायन्ते शङ्खमुक्तिकाः ।। १५.

The waters of that river, as they solidify in the great ocean, become conch shells and pearls, and conch pearls are produced.

उदकानयनं कृत्वा शङ्खमौक्तिकसंयुतम्। आधिभिर्व्याधिभिश्चैव मुक्ता यान्त्यमरावतीम् ।। १५.

By bringing water mixed with conch shells and pearls, people are freed from mental and physical afflictions and go to Amarāvatī.

चन्दनेभ्यः प्रयुक्तानां शङ्खानां मौक्तिकस्य च। पाप कर्तॄनपि पितॄंश्तारयन्ति यथा श्रुतिः ।। १५.

Conch shells and pearls, when consecrated with sandalwood, deliver even sinful ancestors, as the scripture declares.

चन्द्रतीर्थे कुमार्य्यान्तु कावेर्य्यां प्रभवेऽक्षये। श्रीपर्वतस्य तीर्थेषु वैकृते च तथा गिरौ ।। १५.

At the holy place of the moon, at the source of the Kaverī, inexhaustible, at the sacred places of Śrīparvata, and likewise on the Vaikṛta mountain.

एकस्था यत्र दृश्यन्ते वृक्षा ह्योशिरपर्वते। पालाशाः खादिरा बिल्वा प्लक्षाश्वत्थविकङ्कताः ।। १५.

Where trees are seen together on the mountain called Oshira—palasha, khadira, bilva, plaksha, ashvattha, and vikankata.

एतद्धि मण्डलं सिद्धं यज्ञीयं द्विजसत्तमाः। अस्मिन् मुक्त्वा जनोऽङ्गानि क्षिप्रं यात्यमरावतीम् ।। १५.

This circle is established as sacred for sacrifice, O best of twice-born; here, after leaving their bodies, people swiftly attain Amaravati.

कर्माणि स्वप्रयुक्तानि सिध्यन्ति प्रभवात्यये । दुष्प्रसक्तानि पितृषु प्रयुक्तानि भवन्त्युत ।। १५.

Actions performed by oneself succeed at the end of their influence; those strongly attached to ancestors, when performed for them, also bear fruit.

पितॄणां दुहिता पुण्या नर्मदा सरितां वरा। तत्र श्राद्धानि दत्तानि अक्षयाणि भवन्त्युत ।। १५.

Among ancestors, the virtuous daughter is Narmada, the foremost of rivers; offerings made there for ancestors become imperishable.