Vayu Purana

तस्यां योगेश्वरो नित्यं तत्तस्यां दत्तमक्षयम्। दत्त्वा चैतेषु पूतः स्याच्छ्राद्धमानन्त्यमेव च ।। १५.

There, the lord of yoga is always present, and whatever is given there is imperishable; and by giving at these places, one becomes purified and the śrāddha becomes infinite.

तपो होमस्तथा ध्यानं यत् किञ्चित्सुकृतं भवेत्। लौहित्ये वैतरण्यां वै स्वर्णवेद्यां तथैव च ।। १५.

Austerity, offering, meditation, or any meritorious act performed at Lauhitya, Vaitaraṇī, or Svarṇavedī likewise bears great fruit.

सकृदेव समुद्रान्ते दृश्यते पुण्यकर्मभिः। गयायां धर्मपृष्ठे च सरसि ब्रह्मणस्तथा ।। १५.

Even once, at the edge of the ocean, meritorious deeds are seen; at Gayā, Dharmapṛṣṭha, and the lake of Brahmā as well.

गयायां गृध्रकूटे च श्राद्धं दत्तं महाफलम्। हिमञ्च पतते तत्र समन्तात् पञ्चयोजनम् ।। १५.

At Gayā and Gṛdhrakūṭa, śrāddha given yields great fruit; and there, snow falls all around for five yojanas.

भरतस्याश्रमे पुण्येऽरण्यं पुण्यतमं स्मृतम् । मतङ्गस्य पदं तत्र दृश्यते मांस चक्षुषा ।। १५.

In the holy hermitage of Bharata, the forest is remembered as most sacred; there, the footprint of Mataṅga is seen with the physical eye.

ख्यापितं धर्म्मसर्व्वस्वं लोकस्यास्य निदर्शनम्। एवं पञ्चवनं पुण्यं पुण्यकृद्भिर्निषेवितम्। यस्मिन्पाण्डुविशालेति तीर्थं सद्यो निदर्शनम् ।। १५.

The entirety of righteousness is proclaimed there as an example for the world; thus, the five sacred forests are frequented by the virtuous, and among them, the holy place called Pāṇḍuviśāla is immediately evident.

तुलामानैस्तथा चापैः शास्त्रैश्च विविधैस्तथा। उन्मज्जन्ति तथा लग्ने ये वै पापकृतो जनाः ।। १५.

By balances, bows, and various scriptures, those people who have committed sins are thus made to rise up at the proper time.

तृतीयायां तथा पादे निःस्वरे पावमण्डले। महाह्रदे वै कौशिक्यां दत्तं श्राद्धं महाफलम् ।। १५.

In the third quarter, likewise, at the place called Pavamaṇḍala, which is without a presiding deity, a śrāddha offered at the great lake Kauśikī yields great merit.

मुण्डपृष्ठे पदं न्यस्तं महादेवेन धीमता। बहून्दवेयुगांस्तप्त्वा तपस्तीव्रं सुदुश्चरम् ।। १५.

On Muṇḍapṛṣṭha, the wise Mahādeva placed his foot, having performed severe and difficult austerities for many divine ages.

अल्पेनाप्यत्र कालेन नरो धर्म्मपरायणः। पाप्मानमुत्सृजत्याशु जीर्णत्वचमिवोरगः ।। १५.

Even in a short time here, a man devoted to righteousness quickly casts off sin, just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

सिद्धानां प्रीतिजननैः पापा नाञ्च भयङ्करैः। लेलिहानैर्महाभोगै रक्षितन्तु दिवानिशम् ।। १५.

Guarded day and night by great serpents with mighty hoods, licking about, who bring delight to the perfected beings and terror to the sinful, that place is protected.

नाम्ना कनकनन्दीति तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम्। उदीच्यां मुण्डपृष्ठस्य देवर्षि गणसेवितम्। तत्र स्रात्वा दिवं यान्ति कामचारा विहङ्गमाः ।। १५.

The holy place named Kanakanandī, renowned throughout the three worlds, is situated to the north of Muṇḍapṛṣṭha and attended by hosts of divine sages; there, after bathing, birds of free movement ascend to heaven.

दत्तं चापि तथा श्राद्धमक्षयं समुदाहृतम्। ऋणैस्त्रिभिस्तदा स्नात्वा निक्षिणोति नरोत्तमः ।। १५.

A śrāddha offered there is declared imperishable; after bathing, a noble man is freed from the three debts.

तीरे तु सरसस्तत्र देवस्यायतनं महत्। आरुह्य तज्जपंस्तत्र सिद्धो याति दिवं ततः ।। १५.

On the bank of that lake stands a great temple of the god; ascending there and reciting prayers, the accomplished one attains heaven from that place.

उत्तरं मानसं गत्वा सिद्धिं प्राप्नोत्यनुत्तमाम् । तत्र गत्वा पुरश्रेष्ठं दृश्यते महदद्भुतम् ।। १५.

Going to the northern Mānasa, one attains supreme accomplishment; there, upon arrival, the foremost of cities, a great wonder, is seen.

तस्मिन्निर्वर्त्तयेच्छ्राद्धं यथाशक्ति यथाबलम्। कामान् स लभते दिव्यान् मोक्षोपायं च नित्यशः ।। १५.

There, one should perform śrāddha according to one's ability and strength; he obtains divine desires and, constantly, the means to liberation.

मानसे सरसि श्रेष्ठे दृश्यते महदद्भुतम्। दिवश्च्युता महाभागा ह्यन्तरिक्षे विराजते ।। १५.

At the excellent lake Mānasa, a great wonder is seen: those of great fortune who have fallen from heaven shine in the sky.

गङ्गा त्रिपथगा देवी सोमपादाच्च्युता भुवि। आकाशे दृश्यते तत्र तोरणं सूर्य्यसन्निभम् ।। १५.

The goddess Gaṅgā, the threefold river, having descended to earth from Soma's foot, is seen there in the sky as a gateway, resplendent like the sun.

जाम्बूनदमयं दिव्यं स्वर्गद्वारमिवायतम्। यतः प्रवर्त्तते भूयः पूर्व्वसागरमन्तिमम् ।। १५.

A divine gateway made of Jāmbūnada gold, vast like the entrance to heaven, from which the river flows forth again to the eastern and the final ocean.

पावनी सर्व्वभूतानां धर्मज्ञानां विशेषतः। चन्द्रभागा च सिन्धुश्च उभौ मानससन्निभौ। सागरं पश्चिमं याति दिव्यसिन्धुर्नदीवरः ।। १५.

Purifying for all beings, especially for those who know righteousness, both Candrabhāgā and Sindhu, resembling Mānasa, flow to the western ocean, the divine Sindhu, the best of rivers.

पर्व्वतो हिमवान्नाम नानाधातुविभूषितः। योजनानां सहस्राणि आयतोऽशीतिरुच्यते ।। १५.

The mountain named Himavat, adorned with various minerals, is said to extend for eighty thousand yojanas.

सिद्धचारणसङ्कीर्णः सिद्धचारणसेवितः। तत्र पुष्करिणी रम्या सुषुम्ना नाम विश्रुता ।। १५.

Crowded and attended by perfected beings and celestial bards, there is a delightful lake called Suṣumnā, famed among all.

दशवर्षसहस्राणि तत्र जातस्तु जीवति। श्राद्धं भवति चानन्त्यं तस्यां दत्तं महोदयम्। तारयेच्च यदा श्राद्धं दशपूर्व्वान्दशापरान् ।। १५.

One born there lives for ten thousand years; a śrāddha performed there brings endless benefit, and such a śrāddha saves ten ancestors before and ten after.

सर्व्वं पुण्यं हिमवतो गङ्गा पुण्या च सर्व्वतः। समुद्रगाः समुद्राश्च सर्व्वे पुण्याः समन्ततः ।। १५.

All the merit of Himavat, and the sanctity of Gaṅgā in every part, and all the rivers flowing to the ocean, all are holy everywhere.

एवमादिषु सर्व्वेषु श्राद्धं निर्वर्त्तयेद्बुधः । पूतो भवति स्नात्वा नु दत्त्वा दत्त्वा तथैव च ।। १५.

Thus, in all such places, the wise should perform śrāddha; having bathed and given offerings, one becomes purified.

शैलसानुषु तुङ्गेषु कन्दरेषु गुहासु च। उपह्वरनितम्बेषु तथा प्रस्रवणेषु च ।। १५.

On the lofty mountain slopes, in ravines and caves, on the flanks of valleys, and at springs.

पुलिनेष्वापगानां च तथैव प्रभवे युगे। महोदधौ गवां गोष्ठे सङ्गमेषु वनेषु च ।। १५.

On the banks of rivers, at their sources, in the great ocean, in cow pens, at confluences, and in forests.

असंसृष्टोपलिप्तासु हृद्यासु सुरभीषु च। गोमयेनोपलिप्तेषु विविक्तेषु गृहेषु च ।। १५.

In places unsullied and pleasing, fragrant, smeared with cow dung, and in secluded houses.

कुर्य्याच्छ्राद्धमथैतेषु नित्यमेव यथाविधि। प्रदक्षिणं दिशं गत्वा सर्व्वकामचिकीर्षवः ।। १५.

One should perform the śrāddha in these places, always according to prescribed rules, having circumambulated the direction, desiring all wishes.