Vayu Purana

पुण्डरीके महातीर्थे पुण्डरीकसमं फलम्। ब्रह्मतीर्थे महातीर्थे अश्वमेधफलं लभेत् ।। १५.

At Puṇḍarīka, the great holy place, one attains the fruit equal to Puṇḍarīka; at Brahmatīrtha, the great holy place, one obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.

सिन्धुसागरसम्भेदे तदा पञ्चनदेऽक्षयम् । कीरकात्मा ततः पुण्यो मण्डवायां च पर्वते ।। १५.

At the confluence of the Sindhu and the ocean, and at Pañcanada, the merit is inexhaustible; then, at Maṇḍavā mountain, the soul is purified.

देयं सप्तह्रदे श्राद्धं मानसे च विशेषतः। महाकूटे च वन्दे च गिरौ त्रिरौ त्रिककुदे तथा ।। १५.

Śrāddha should be offered at the seven lakes, especially at Mānasā; also on Mahākūṭa, Vanda, Girau, Trirau, and Trikakuda mountains.

सन्ध्यायां च महावेद्यां दृश्यते महदद्भुतम्। अश्रद्दधानान्नाभ्येति साभ्येति च धृतव्रतान् ।। १५.

At the time of twilight, on the great altar, a great wonder is seen: those without faith do not approach, but those firm in their vows do.

जातवेदः शिला तत्र साक्षादग्नेः सनातनी। श्राद्धानि चाग्निकार्यं च तत्र कुर्यात् सदाक्षयम् ।। १५.

There is a stone called Jātaveda, the very embodiment of eternal fire; śrāddha and fire rituals performed there are always inexhaustible.

संश्रयित्वैकमेकेन सायाह्नं प्रति नित्यशः। तस्मिन्देयं सदा श्राद्धं पितॄणामक्षयार्थिना ।। १५.

By staying there alone each evening, one should always offer śrāddha for the ancestors, desiring imperishable merit.

कृतात्मा वाऽकृतात्मा वा यत्र विज्ञायते नरः। स्वर्ग्यमार्गप्रदं नाम तीर्थं सद्यो वरप्रदम्। वैराण्युत्सृज्य तस्मिस्तु दिवं सप्तर्षयो गताः ।। १५.

Whether perfected or not, whoever is recognized there as a man, that holy place is called the giver of the path to heaven, bestowing boons at once; there, having abandoned enmities, the Seven Sages ascended to heaven.

अद्यापि तानि दृश्यन्ते वैराण्येव गतानि तु। स्नात्वा स्वर्गमवाप्नोति तस्मिस्तीर्थोत्तमे नरः ।। १५.

Even today, those places are seen where they went, having abandoned enmity; whoever bathes at that supreme holy place attains heaven.

ख्यातमायतनं तत्र नन्दिसिद्ध निषेवितम्। नन्दीश्वरस्य या मूर्त्तिर्दुराजारैर्न दृश्यते ।। १५.

There is a renowned sanctuary, frequented by Nandi and Siddhas; the form of Nandīśvara there is not seen by the wicked.

दृश्यन्ते काञ्चना यूपाः सञ्चिष्ये भास्करोदये। कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणं ते तु गच्छन्त्यन्तर्हिता दिवम् ।। १५.

Golden sacrificial posts are seen there, shining at sunrise; after circumambulating them, they ascend to heaven, becoming invisible.

सर्वतश्च कुरुक्षेत्रं सुतीर्थञ्च विशेषतः। पुण्यं सनत्कुमारस्य योगेशस्य महात्मनः। कीर्त्त्यते च तिलान्दत्त्वा पितॄणां वै सदाऽक्षयम् ।। १५.

All around is Kurukṣetra, especially a most holy place; it is sacred to the great yogin Sanatkumāra; it is said that by offering sesame there, the ancestors always receive inexhaustible merit.

ओजसे चाक्षयं श्राद्धं धर्मराजनिवेशने। श्राद्धं दत्तममावस्यां विधिना च यथाक्रमम् ।। १५.

For strength, an imperishable śrāddha should be performed in the abode of Dharmarāja; a śrāddha offered on the new moon day, according to proper procedure, is also so.

पुनः सन्निहितानां वै कुरुक्षेत्रे विशेषतः। अर्चयेद्वा पितॄंस्तत्र सत्पुत्रस्त्वनृणो भवेत् ।। १५.

Again, especially at Kurukṣetra, one should worship the ancestors who are present there; by doing so, a true son becomes free from debt.

विनशने सरस्वत्यां प्लक्षप्रश्रवणे तथा। व्यासतीर्थे सरस्वत्यां ब्रह्मक्षेत्रे विशेषतः ।। १५.

At the place where the Sarasvatī disappears, at Plakṣa Praśravaṇa, at Vyāsa Tīrtha on the Sarasvatī, and especially at Brahmakṣetra—

देयमोङ्कारपठनैः श्राद्धमक्षयमिच्छता। सर्वतश्चैव गङ्ग्यां मैनाके च नगोत्तमे ।। १५.

One who desires imperishable śrāddha should give it while reciting the Oṃkāra, and also anywhere on the Gaṅgā and on the great mountain Maināka.

यमुनाप्रभवे चैव सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते । अत्युष्णाश्चातिशीताश्च आपस्तत्र निदर्शनम् ।। १५.

At the source of the Yamunā, one is freed from all sins; the extremely hot and extremely cold waters there are a sign of this.

यमस्य भगिनी पुण्या मार्त्तण्डदुहिता तथा। तत्राक्षयं तदा श्राद्धं पितृभिः पूर्वकीर्त्तितम् ।। १५.

She is the virtuous sister of Yama and the daughter of Mārttaṇḍa; there, śrāddha is imperishable, as previously praised by the ancestors.

ब्रह्मानुगह्रदे स्नात्वा सद्यो भवति ब्राह्मणः। तस्मिन् हि श्राद्धमानन्त्यं जपहोमतपांसि च ।। १५.

By bathing in the lake favored by Brahmā, one immediately becomes a brāhmaṇa; there, śrāddha, recitation, offerings, and austerities are endless.

स्थाणुभूतश्चरंस्तत्र वसिष्ठो वै महातपाः। अद्यापि यत्र दृश्यन्ते पादपा मणिचर्च्चिताः ।। १५.

There, the great ascetic Vasiṣṭha became motionless like a pillar; even today, trees adorned with jewels are seen there.

तुला तु दृश्यते यत्र धर्माधर्मप्रदर्शिनी। यया वै तुलितं विप्रैस्तीर्थानां फलमुत्तमम् ।। १५.

There is seen a balance which reveals righteousness and unrighteousness; by which, when weighed by brāhmaṇas, the supreme fruit of the sacred places is known.

पितॄणां दुहिता योगा गन्धकालीति विश्रुता। चतुर्थो ब्रह्मणश्चांशः पराशरकुलोद्वहः ।। १५.

The daughter of the ancestors, known as Yogā and also called Gandhakālī, is renowned; she is a fourth part of Brahmā, and the glory of the lineage of Parāśara.

व्यस्य त्वेकं चतुर्द्धा तु वेदं धीमान् महामुनिः। महायोगं महात्मानं यो व्यासं जनयिष्यति ।। १५.

That wise and great sage will divide one Veda into four; he, the great yogin and great soul, will beget Vyāsa.

अच्छोदकं नाम सरो यत्राच्छोदा समुच्छ्रिता । मत्स्ययोनौ पुनर्जाता नियोगाद्वारणेन तु ।। १५.

There is a lake called Acchodaka, where Acchodā rose up; she was reborn in the womb of a fish, by the command of Vāraṇa.

तस्या यत्राश्रमः पुण्यः पुण्यकृद्भिर्निषेवितः। सकृद्दत्तं तु वै श्राद्धमक्षयं समुदाहृतम्। तस्यां योग समाधाने दत्तं युगपदुद्भवेत् ।। १५.

Where her holy hermitage is, frequented by the virtuous, a śrāddha offered even once there is declared imperishable; whatever is given there in yogic concentration arises at once.

कुबेरतुङ्गे व्यामोच्चे व्यासतीर्थे तथैव च। पुण्यः स ब्राह्मणो दद्याछ्राद्धमानन्त्यमक्षयम् ।। १५.

On the summit of Kubera, on the height of Vyāma, and likewise at Vyāsa Tīrtha, a brāhmaṇa who gives śrāddha there attains endless imperishable merit.

सिद्धैस्तु सेविता नित्यं दृश्यते नाकृतात्मभिः। अनिवर्त्तनं तु नन्दायां वेद्यां प्रागुत्तरे दिशि ।। १५.

It is always frequented by the perfected ones, and not seen by those of impure mind; there is no return from Nandā, at the altar in the northeast direction.

सिद्धक्षेत्रं तु वै जुष्टं यत्प्राप्य न निवर्त्तते। महालये पदं न्यस्तं महादेवेन धीमता ।। १५.

That field of the perfected ones is indeed cherished; having reached it, one does not return. In the great abode, the wise Mahādeva established his own place.

देव्यालये तपस्तप्त्वा एकपादेन ईश्वरः। नीहारश्च युगं दिव्यमुमातुङ्गे स्थितं जलम् ।। १५.

In the abode of the goddess, the Lord performed austerity standing on one foot; and the divine water, like mist, remains on the summit of Umā.

उमा तुङ्गे भृगोस्तुङ्गे ब्रह्मतुङ्गे महालये। काद्रवत्यां च शाण्डिल्यां गुहायां वामनस्य च ।। १५.

On the summit of Umā, on the summit of Bhṛgu, on the summit of Brahmā, at the great abode, at Kādravatī, at Śāṇḍilya, and in the cave of Vāmana as well.