Vayu Purana

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.

एवमेतेषु सर्व्वेषु श्राद्धं कुर्य्यादतन्द्रितः। एवमेव तु मेधावी ब्राह्मीं सिद्धिमवाप्नुयात् ।। १५.

Thus, in all these places, one should diligently perform śrāddha; in this way, the wise attains the Brahmanical accomplishment.

त्रैवर्ण्ये विहिते स्थाने धर्म्मवर्णाश्रमे तथा। कोपस्थानस्य संत्यागात्प्राप्यते पितृपूजनम् ।। १५.

In the places prescribed for the three castes, in the dharma of varṇa and āśrama, by renouncing anger, one attains the worship of ancestors.

तीर्थान्यनुसरन् धीरः श्रद्दधानो जितेन्द्रियः। कृतपापश्च शुद्ध्येत किं पुनः शुभकर्म्मकृत् ।। १५.

A steadfast, faithful, self-controlled person, following the sacred places, is purified even if sinful; how much more so one who performs virtuous deeds.

तिर्यग्योनिं न गच्छेच्च कुदेशे न च जायते। स्वर्गी भवति वै विप्रो मोक्षोपायं च विन्दति ।। १५.

He does not enter a lower birth, nor is born in an unworthy place; the Brāhmaṇa becomes heavenly and finds the means to liberation.

अश्रद्दधानाः पाप्मानो नास्तिकाः स्थितसंशयाः। हेतुद्रष्टा च पञ्चैते न तीर्थफलमश्र्नुते ।। १५.

Those without faith, sinful, atheists, those fixed in doubt, and seekers of mere causes—these five do not obtain the fruit of the sacred places.

गुरुतीर्थे परा सिद्धिस्तीर्थानां परमं पदम् । ध्यानं तीर्थपरं तस्माद्ब्रह्मतीर्थं सनातनम् ।। १५.

The highest accomplishment at the teacher's sacred place is the supreme state of the sacred places; meditation on the sacred place is therefore the eternal Brahmanical sacred place.

उपवासात्परं ध्यानमिन्द्रियाणां निवर्त्तनम्। उपवासनिबद्धा हि प्राणैरिह पुनः पुनः ।। १५.

Beyond fasting is meditation, the restraint of the senses; fasting binds the vital breaths here again and again.

प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा विषयाणीन्द्रियाणि च । बुद्धिं मनसि संयम्य सर्व्वेषां तु निवर्त्तनम् ।। १५.

Having made the inhalation and exhalation equal, and the senses withdrawn from objects, restraining the intellect in the mind, there is withdrawal of all.

प्रत्याहारं पुनर्विद्धि मोक्षोपायमसंशयम्। इन्द्रियाणां मनो घोरं बुद्ध्यादीनां प्रवर्त्तनम् ।। १५.

Know withdrawal as the means to liberation, without doubt; the mind of the senses is fierce, and the activity of intellect and others.

अनाहारात्क्षयं याति विद्यादनशनं तपः। निग्रहाद्बुद्धिमनसो रम्या बुद्धिस्तु जायते ।। १५.

Through abstaining from food, one attains reduction; know fasting as austerity; through restraint of intellect and mind, delightful intellect arises.