Vayu Purana

न प्रवृत्तिफला यूयं दर्शयन्तोऽपि तान्सदा। यदृच्छाकरसङ्कोचविधानायेह रागिणाम् ।। ४२.

You do not seek the fruits of action, even though you always display them, for the sake of regulating the desires of those attached to action.

प्रपञ्चस्यापि मिथ्यात्वे ब्रह्मत्वे वा निधीतरौ। न मृषारागविषयौ तत्सङ्कोचविधिक्षयौ ।। ४२.

Whether the world is illusory or Brahman, you are not subject to false attachment or its limitations and destruction.

अतो लोकहितैर्नूनं परमार्थनिरूपणे। स्वोक्ताः स्वर्गादिविषयाः नश्वरा इति निन्दिताः ।। ४२.

Therefore, for the good of the world and in the determination of the highest truth, you have declared that the objects of heaven and so forth are perishable and to be criticized.

अधिकारिविभेदेन कर्मज्ञानोपदेशतः। त्रातं सर्वं जगन्नूनं शब्दब्रह्मात्ममूर्त्तिभिः ।। ४२.

According to the difference of qualification and the instruction in action and knowledge, the entire world is surely protected by you, who are the embodied form of the word-Brahman.

अतोऽहं प्रष्टुमिच्छमि भवन्तश्चेत्कृपालवः । कर्मणां फलमादिष्टं सर्गः कामैकचेतसाम् ।। ४२.

Therefore, I wish to ask, if you are compassionate: what is the prescribed fruit of actions, and what is the creation for those whose minds are fixed on desire?

ईशार्पितधियां पुंसां कृतस्यापि च कर्मणः। चित्तशुद्धिस्ततो ज्ञानं मोक्षश्च तदनन्तरम् ।। ४२.

For those whose minds are dedicated to the Lord, even when action is performed, purity of mind arises, then knowledge, and then liberation follows thereafter.

मोक्षो ब्रह्मैक्यमित्येवं सच्चिदानन्दमेव यत्। सर्वं समाप्यते तस्मिञ्ज्ञाते यद्धि कृताकृतम् ।। ४२.

Liberation is the unity with Brahman, which is existence, consciousness, and bliss; in that, all is completed, both what is done and not done, when that is known.

यन्निःसङ्गं चिदाकाशं ज्ञानरूपमसंवृतम्। निरीहमचलं शुद्धमगुणं व्यापकं स्मृतम् ।। ४२.

That which is unattached, the space of consciousness, of the nature of knowledge, uncovered, desireless, unmoving, pure, without qualities, and all-pervading, is remembered.

विकारेषु विनश्यत्सु निर्विकारं न नश्यति। यथान्धतमसा व्याप्तलोकस्य रविरोजसा ।। ४२.

When modifications perish, the unchanging does not perish, just as the sun, by its light, pervades a world covered in dense darkness.

लोहस्येव मणिस्तद्वदरणिश्चानले यथा। यदाभासेन सा सत्तां प्रतिपद्य विजृम्भते ।। ४२.

Just as a gem in iron, or fire in wood, by its reflection that existence arises and expands.

जीवेश्वरादिरूपेण विश्वाकारेण चाप्यहो। तस्यामपि प्रलीनायां कूटस्थञ्च यदेकलम् ।। ४२.

In the form of the individual soul, the Lord, and the universe, and even when that dissolves, the immutable alone remains.

भवद्भिरेवं निर्णीतं तत्तथैव न संशयः। तथापि मम जिज्ञासा वर्त्तते केवलं हृदि ।। ४२.

You have thus determined this, and so it is, without doubt; yet still, a desire to know remains in my heart.

अतोऽपि परमं किञ्चिद्वर्त्तते किल वा न वा। तद्वदन्तु महाभागा भवन्तस्तत्त्वदर्शनाः ।। ४२.

Is there perhaps something higher than this, or not? Let the blessed ones, you who perceive the truth, speak of it.

यच्छ्रवः फलमेवेह जनुषो मे कृतार्थता। एवं ब्रुवन्तमनघं व्यासं सत्यवतीसुतम्। साधु साध्विति सङ्कीर्त्य प्रत्यूचु र्निगमा वचः ।। ४२.

Hearing this alone is the fruit, and my life is fulfilled; thus, as Vyāsa, son of Satyavatī, spoke blamelessly, they praised him, saying 'Well said, well said,' and replied with the words of the Veda.

वेदा ऊचुः ।। साधु साधु महाप्राज्ञा विष्णुरात्मा शरीरिणाम्। अजोऽपि जन्म सम्पद्य लोकानुग्रहमीहसे ।। ४२.

The Vedas said: 'Well spoken, well spoken, O greatly wise one! Viṣṇu is the Self of all embodied beings; though unborn, you take birth for the welfare of the worlds.'

अन्यथा ते न घटते संसारकर्म्मबन्दनम्। अस्पृष्टो मायया देव्या कदाचिज्ज्ञानगूहया ।। ४२.

Otherwise, for you, there is no binding by the actions of worldly existence; untouched by the goddess Māyā, hidden at times by the cave of knowledge.

बिभर्षि स्वेच्छया रूपं स्वेच्छयैव निगूहसे। अस्मत्सम्मत एवार्थो भवता सम्प्रदर्शितः ।। ४२.

By your own will you assume forms, and by your own will you conceal them; the meaning you have shown is just as we understand it.

पुराणेष्वितिहासेषु सूत्रेष्वपि च नैकधा। अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं सर्वकारणकारणम् ।। ४२.

In the Purāṇas, Itihāsas, and even in the Sūtras, in many ways, the imperishable Supreme Brahman is declared, the cause of all causes.

तस्यात्मनोऽप्यात्म भावतया पुष्पस्य गन्धवत्। रसवद्वा स्थितं रूपमवेहि परमं हि तत् ।। ४२.

Of that Self, even as fragrance abides in a flower or taste in water, so the Supreme Form exists; know that to be highest.

अनुभूतं तदस्माभिर्जाते प्राकृतिके लये। अक्षरात्परतस्तस्माद्यत्परं केवलो रसः । न च तत्र वयं शक्ताः शब्दातीते तदात्मकाः ।। ४२.

We have experienced that, at the time of the dissolution of creation; beyond the imperishable is that which is the supreme, pure essence alone. Yet we are not able to express it, for it is beyond words and our very nature.

अत ऊर्द्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि गयामाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्। यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्व्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्रसंशयः ।। ४३.

Now I shall speak of the supreme glory of Gayā; hearing which, one is freed from all sins—of this there is no doubt.

सनकाद्यैर्म्महाभागैर्देवर्षिः स च नारदः। सनत्कुमारं पप्रच्छ प्रणम्य विधिपूर्व्वकम् ।। ४३.

By the blessed Sanaka and others, and the divine sage Nārada, Sanatkumāra was respectfully asked, according to proper rule.

नारद उवाच।। सनत्कुमार मे ब्रूहि तीर्थं तीर्थोत्तमोत्तमम्। तारकं सर्वभूतानां पठतां श्रृण्वतां तथा ।। ४३.

Nārada said: 'O Sanatkumāra, tell me of the greatest of holy places, the highest of all, which delivers all beings who recite or hear of it.'

सनत्कुमार उवाच।। वक्ष्ये तीर्थवरं पुण्यं श्राद्धादौ सर्वतारकम्। गयातीर्थं सर्वदेशे तीर्थेभ्योऽप्यधिकं श्रृणु ।। ४३.

Sanatkumāra said: 'I shall tell you of the supreme holy place, the most sacred, which grants liberation especially at the time of ancestral rites; listen to Gayā, the holy place, greater than all others in every land.'

गयासुरस्तपस्तेपे ब्रह्मणा क्रतवेऽर्थितः। प्राप्तस्य तस्य शिरसि शिलां धर्मो ह्यधारयत् ।। ४३.

Gayāsura performed austerities and, at Brahmā's request, undertook a sacrifice; when he attained it, Dharma placed a stone upon his head.

तत्र ब्रह्माऽकरोद्यागं स्थितश्चापि गदाधरः। फल्गुतीर्थादिरूपेण निश्चलार्थमहर्निशम्। गयासुरस्य विप्रेन्द्रब्रह्माद्यैर्दैवतैः सह ।। ४३.

There, Brahmā performed a sacrifice, and Gadādhara (Viṣṇu) stood by, in the form of the Phalgu tīrtha and others, day and night, for the sake of steadfastness, along with the best of Brāhmaṇas and other gods.

कृतयज्ञो ददौ ब्रह्मा ब्राह्मणेभ्यो गृहादिकम्। स्वेतकल्पे तु वाराहे गयायागमकारयत् ।। ४३.

Having completed the sacrifice, Brahmā gave houses and other gifts to the Brāhmaṇas; and in the Sveta Kalpa, during the Varāha era, he caused the Gayā sacrifice to be performed.

गयानाम्ना गया ख्याता क्षेत्रं ब्रह्नमभिकांक्षितम्। कांक्षन्ति पितरः पुत्रान्नरकाद्भयभीरवः ।। ४३.

Known as Gayā by name, the field desired by Brahmā, the ancestors long for sons to go there, fearful of hell.

गयां यास्यति यः पुत्रः स नस्त्राता भविष्यति। गयाप्राप्तं सुतं दृष्ट्वा पितॄणामुत्सवो भवेत्। पद्भ्यामपि जलं स्पृष्ट्वा सोऽस्मभ्यं किं न दास्यति ।। ४३.

The son who goes to Gayā will become our savior; when the ancestors see their son who has reached Gayā, it is a festival for them. Even if he merely touches the water with his feet, will he not give us liberation?