Vayu Purana

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?

गयां गत्वान्नदाता यः पितरस्तेन पुत्रिणः । पक्षत्रयनिवासी च पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम्। नो चेत्पञ्चदशाहं वा सप्तरात्रिं त्रिरात्रिकम् ।। ४३.

Whoever, having gone to Gaya, gives food to his ancestors, purifies three generations and even up to the seventh family line; if not, then for fifteen days, seven nights, or three nights.

महाकल्पकृतं पापं गयां प्राप्य विनश्यति। पिण्डं दद्याच्च पित्रादेरात्मनोऽपि तिलैर्विना ।। ४३.

Sin accumulated over a great age is destroyed upon reaching Gaya; and one should offer the rice-ball to ancestors and even to oneself, even without sesame seeds.

ब्रह्महत्या सुरापानं स्तेयं गुर्व्वङ्गनागमः। पापंतत्सङ्गजं सर्व्वं गयाश्राद्धाद्विनश्यति ।। ४३.

All sin arising from killing a Brahmin, drinking liquor, theft, approaching the wife of a teacher, and from association with such acts, is destroyed by the Gaya śrāddha.

आत्मजोऽप्यन्यजो वापि गयाभूमौ यदा तदा। यन्नाम्ना पातयेत्पिण्डं तं नयेद्ब्रह्म शाश्वतम् ।। ४३.

Whether one's own son or another, whenever one drops the rice-ball in the land of Gaya, by that name, he leads that person to the eternal Brahman.

ब्रह्मज्ञानं गयाश्राद्धं गोगृहे मरणं तथा। वासः पुंसां कुरुक्षेत्रे मुक्तिरेषा चतुर्व्विधा ।। ४३.

Knowledge of Brahman, the Gaya śrāddha, death in a cow's enclosure, and dwelling in Kurukshetra—these are the four kinds of liberation for men.

ब्रह्मज्ञानेन किं कार्य्यं गोगृहे मरणेन किम्। वासेन किं कुरुक्षेत्रे यदि पुत्रो गयां व्रजेत् ।। ४३.

What need is there for knowledge of Brahman, or for death in a cow's enclosure, or for dwelling in Kurukshetra, if a son goes to Gaya?

गयायां सर्व्वकालेषु पिण्डं दद्याद्विचक्षणः। अधिमासे जन्मदिने चास्तेऽपि गुरुशुक्रयोः ।। ४३.

The wise should offer the rice-ball at Gaya at all times, including in the extra month, on one's birthday, and even when Guru and Shukra are in conjunction.

न त्यक्तव्यं गयाश्राद्धं सिंहस्थेऽपि बृहस्पतौ। तथा दैवप्रमादेन प्रहतेषु व्रणेषु च। पुनः कर्म्माधिकारी च श्राद्धकृद्ब्रह्मलोकभाक् ।। ४३.

The Gaya śrāddha should not be abandoned, even when Jupiter is in Leo; nor due to divine error, wounds, or injuries; again, one is eligible for the rite, and the performer of śrāddha attains the world of Brahman.

सकृद्गयाभिगमनं सकृत्पिण्डस्य पातनम्। दुर्लभं किं पुनर्न्नित्यमस्मिन्नेव व्यवस्थितिः ।। ४३.

A single journey to Gaya, a single dropping of the rice-ball, is rare; how much more so is constant residence in this very place.

प्रमादान्म्रियते क्षेत्रे ब्रह्मादेर्मुक्तिदायके। ब्रह्मज्ञानाद्यथा मुक्तिर्लभ्यते नात्र संशयः ।। ४३.

If, by mistake, one dies in a field that grants liberation, such as that of Brahma, then liberation is attained just as from knowledge of Brahman; there is no doubt about this.

कीटकादिमृतानाञ्च पितॄणां तारणाय च। तस्मात्सर्व्वप्रयत्नेन कर्त्तव्यं सुविचक्षणैः ।। ४३.

For the deliverance of ancestors who died as insects and the like, therefore, the wise should perform this with all effort.

ब्रह्मप्रकल्पितान्विप्रान्हव्यकव्यादिनाऽर्च्चयेत्। तैस्तुष्टैस्तोषिताः सर्व्वाः पितृभिः सह देवताः ।। ४३.

One should worship Brahmins appointed by Brahma with offerings such as havya and kavya; when they are satisfied, all deities together with ancestors are pleased.

मुण्डनं चोपवासश्च सर्व्वतीर्थेष्वयं विधिः। वर्जयित्वा कुरुक्षेत्रं विशालां विरजां गयाम् ।। ४३.

Shaving the head and fasting are prescribed at all sacred places, except Kurukshetra, Vishala, Viraja, and Gaya.

दण्डंप्रदर्शयेद्भिक्षुर्गयां गत्वा न पिण्डदः। दण्डं न्यस्ता विष्णुपदे पितृभिः सह मुच्यते ।। ४३.

A mendicant who goes to Gaya but does not offer the rice-ball should display his staff; when the staff is placed at Vishnu's feet, he is freed together with his ancestors.

न दण्डी किल्बिषं धत्ते पुण्यं वा परमार्थतः। अतः सर्व्वां क्रियां त्यक्त्वा विष्णुं ध्यायति भावुकः ।। ४३.

The staff-bearer does not incur sin nor truly gain merit; therefore, abandoning all ritual acts, the contemplative meditates on Vishnu.

संन्यसेत्सर्व्वकर्म्माणि वेदमेकं न संन्यसेत्। मुण्डं कुर्य्याच्च पूर्व्वेऽस्मिन्पश्चिमे दक्षिणोत्तरे ।। ४३.

One should renounce all actions, but never renounce the Veda; and one should shave the head in the east, west, south, or north.

सार्द्धं क्रोशद्वयं मानं गयेति ब्रह्मणेरितम्। पञ्चक्रोशं गयाक्षेत्रं क्रोशमेकं गयाशिरः ।। ४३.

The measure of Gaya, as declared by Brahma, is two and a half krośas; the Gaya field is five krośas, and Gaya's peak is one krośa.

तन्मध्ये सर्व्वतीर्थानि त्रैलोक्ये यानि सन्ति वै। श्राद्धकृद्यो गयाक्षेत्रे पितॄणामनृणो हि सः ।। ४३.

Within it are all the sacred places that exist in the three worlds; whoever performs śrāddha in the Gaya field is indeed freed from debt to the ancestors.

शिरसि श्राद्धकृद्यस्तु कुलानां शतमुद्धरेत्। गृहाच्चलितमात्रेण गयायां गमनं प्रति। स्वर्गा रोहणसोपानं पितॄणाञ्च पदे पदे ।। ४३.

He who performs the śrāddha with his head covered rescues a hundred generations of his lineage; and merely by setting out from his house with the intention to go to Gayā, he provides a stairway to heaven for his ancestors at every step.

पदे पदेऽश्वमेधस्य यत्फलं गच्छतो गयाम्। तत्फलञ्च भवेन्नूनं समग्रं नात्र संशयः ।। ४३.

At every step taken towards Gayā, one attains the full merit of performing an Aśvamedha sacrifice—this is certain, there is no doubt.