Vayu Purana

यास्ते वैतरणी नाम नदी त्रैलोक्यविश्रुता। साऽवतीर्णा गयाक्षेत्रे पितॄणां तारणाय वै। स्नातो गोदो वैतरण्यां त्रिःसप्तकुलमुद्धरेत् ।। ४३.

That river named Vaitaraṇī, renowned throughout the three worlds, descended in the field of Gayā for the deliverance of the ancestors; one who bathes and gives a cow in the Vaitaraṇī rescues twenty-one generations.

तथाऽक्षयवटं गत्वा विप्रान्सन्तोषयिष्यति। ब्रह्मप्रकल्पितान्विप्रान्हव्यकव्यादिनाऽर्च्चयेत्। तैस्तुष्टैस्तोषिताः सर्व्वाः पितृभिः सह देवताः ।। ४३.

Similarly, going to the imperishable banyan tree and satisfying the Brāhmaṇas, worshipping them with offerings ordained by Brahmā, when they are pleased, all the gods together with the ancestors are satisfied.

गयायां न हि तत्स्थानं यत्र तीर्थं न विद्यते। सान्निध्यं सर्व्वतीर्थानां गयातीर्थं ततो वरम् ।। ४३.

In Gayā, there is no place where a tīrtha is not found; because of the presence of all tīrthas, the tīrtha of Gayā is supreme.

मीने मेषे स्थिते सूर्य्ये कन्यायां कार्मुके घटे। दुर्ल्लभं त्रिषु लोकेषु गयायां पिण्डपातनम् ।। ४३.

When the sun is in Pisces, Aries, Virgo, Sagittarius, or Aquarius, offering piṇḍa at Gayā is rare in the three worlds.

मकरे वर्त्तमाने च ग्रहणे चन्द्रसूर्य्ययोः । दुर्ल्लभं त्रिषु लोकेषु गयाश्राद्धं सुदुर्ल्लभम् ।। ४३.

When the sun is in Capricorn, or during an eclipse of the sun or moon, performing śrāddha at Gayā is extremely rare in the three worlds.

गयायां पिण्डदानेन यत्फलं लभते नरः। न तच्छक्यं मया वक्तुं कल्पकोटिशतैरपि ।। ४३.

The merit that a man obtains by offering oblations at Gaya cannot be described by me, not even in hundreds of millions of aeons.

नारद उवाच।। गयासुरः कथं जातः किंप्रभावः किमात्मकः । तपस्तप्तं कथं तेन कथं देहपवित्रता ।। ४४.

Narada said: How did Gayasura come to be? What is his power, what is his nature? How did he perform austerities, and how was his body purified?

सनत्कुमार उवाच।। विष्णोर्नाभ्यम्बुजाज्जातो ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः। प्रजाः ससर्ज संप्रोक्तः पूर्व्वं देवेन विष्णुना ।। ४४.

Sanatkumara said: From the lotus of Vishnu's navel was born Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds. He created beings, as previously declared by the god Vishnu.

आसुरेणैव भावेन ह्यसुरानसृजत्पुरा। सौमनस्येन भावेन देवान्सुमनसोऽसृजत् ।। ४४.

With an asuric disposition, he formerly created the asuras; with a disposition of goodwill, he created the gods, those of good mind.

गयासुरोऽसुराणाञ्च महाबलपराक्रमः। योजनानां सपादञ्च शतं तस्योच्छ्रयः स्मृतः ।। ४४.

Gayasura, among the asuras, was of great strength and valor; his height is remembered as one hundred and a quarter yojanas.

स्थूलः षष्टिर्योजनानां श्रेष्ठोऽसौ वैष्णवः स्मृतः। कोलाहलगिरिवरे तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम् ।। ४४.

He was massive, sixty yojanas in breadth, renowned as the foremost Vaishnava; at the summit of Kolahala mountain, he performed severe austerities.

बहुवर्षसहस्राणि निरुच्छ्वासं स्थिरोऽभवत्। तत्तपस्तापिता देवाः संक्षोभं परमं गताः ।। ४४.

For many thousands of years, he remained steadfast without breathing; the gods, afflicted by his austerity, were greatly disturbed.

ब्रह्मलोकं गता देवाः प्रोचुस्तेऽथ पितामहम्। गयासुराद्रक्ष देव ब्रह्मा देवांस्ततोऽब्रवीत् ।। ४४.

The gods went to Brahmaloka and addressed the grandsire: 'Protect us from Gayasura, O god.' Then Brahma spoke to the gods.

व्रजामः शङ्करं देवा ब्रह्माद्याश्च गताः शिवम्। कैलासे चाब्रुवन्नत्वा रक्ष देव महासुरात् ।। ४४.

Let us go to Shankara, the gods and Brahma went to Shiva; at Kailasa they addressed him: 'Protect us, O god, from the great asura.'

ब्रह्माद्यानब्रवीच्छम्भुर्व्रजामः शरणं हरिम्। क्षीराब्धौ देवदेवेशः स नः श्रेयो विधास्यति। ब्रह्मा महेश्वरो देवा विष्णुं नत्वा प्रतुष्टुवुः ।। ४४.

Shambhu said to Brahma and the others: 'Let us seek refuge in Hari.' In the ocean of milk, the lord of gods will grant us welfare. Brahma, Maheshvara, and the gods bowed to Vishnu and praised him.

देवा ऊचुः ।। ॐ नमो विष्णवो भर्त्रे सर्व्वेषां प्रभविष्णवे। रोचिष्णवे जिष्णवे च राक्षसादिग्रसिष्णवे ।। ४४.

The gods said: 'Om, obeisance to Vishnu, the lord and master of all, the radiant one, the victorious one, the devourer of rakshasas and others.'

धरिष्णवेऽखिलस्यास्य योगिनां पारयिष्णवे । वर्द्धिष्णवे ह्यनन्ताय नमो भ्राज्ष्णिवे नमः ।। ४४.

To the supporter of all, the savior of yogis, the increaser, the infinite one, obeisance to the shining one, obeisance.

सनत्कुमार उवाच।। एवं स्तुतो वासुदेवः सुराणां दर्शनं ददौ। किमर्थमागता देवा विष्णुनोक्तास्तमब्रुवन् ।। ४४.

Sanatkumara said: Thus praised, Vasudeva granted the gods his audience. Vishnu asked them why they had come, and they replied to him.

गयासुरभयाद्देव रक्षास्मानब्रवीद्धरिम्। ब्रह्माद्या यान्तु तं दैत्यमागमिष्याम्यहं ततः ।। ४४.

Out of fear of Gayasura, O god, protect us, they said to Hari. Brahma and the others should go to that demon; I will follow thereafter.

केशवे गरुडारूढो वरं दातुं गयासुरे। सर्व्वे स्वं स्वं समास्थाय ययुर्वाहनमुत्तमम् ।। ४४.

Mounted on Garuda, Kesava went to grant a boon to Gayasura. Each took up their own best vehicle and departed.

ऊचुस्तं वासुदेवाद्याः किमर्थं तप्यते त्वया। सन्तुष्टाः स्वागताः सर्वे वरं ब्रूहि गयासुर ।। ४४.

Vasudeva and the others said to him: 'Why are you performing austerities? All of us are pleased and have come; speak your boon, Gayasura.'

गयासुर उवाच।। यदितुष्टाः स्थ मे देवा ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः। सर्व्वदेवद्विजातिभ्यो यज्ञतीर्थशिलोच्चयात् ।। ४४.

Gayasura said: 'If you gods—Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara—are pleased with me, then grant me that, from sacrificial altars, holy places, and heaps of stones—'

देवेभ्योऽतिपवित्रोऽहमृषिभ्योऽपि शिवाव्ययात्। मन्त्रेभ्यो देवदेवेभ्यो योगिभ्यश्चापि सर्व्वशः ।। ४४.

That I may be more pure than the gods, than the sages, than Shiva the eternal; than the mantras, the gods of gods, and all the yogis in every way.

न्यासिभ्यश्चापि कर्म्मिभ्यो धर्म्मिभ्यश्च तथा पुनः। ज्ञातिभ्योऽतिपवित्रेभ्यः पवित्रः स्यां सदा सुराः ।। ४४.

I shall always be purer than those who perform rituals, those who uphold dharma, and those who are kin, O gods.

पवित्रमस्तु तं देवा दैत्यमुक्त्वा ययुर्दिवम्। दैत्यं दृष्ट्वा च स्पृष्ट्वा च सर्व्वे हरिपुरं ययुः ।। ४४.

Let this be pure, said the gods, and after leaving the demon, they went to heaven; having seen and touched the demon, all went to Hari's city.

शून्यं लोकत्रयं जातं शून्या यमपुरी ह्यभूत्। यम इन्द्रादिभिः सार्द्धं ब्रह्मलोकं ततोऽगमत् ।। ४४.

The three worlds became empty, and the city of Yama was deserted; Yama, together with Indra and others, then went to Brahma's realm.

ब्रह्माणमूचिरे देवा गयासुरविलोपिताः। त्वया दत्तोऽधिकारो वै गृहाण त्वं पितामह ।। ४४.

The gods, distressed by the destruction caused by Gayasura, spoke to Brahma: 'You have granted authority; now, Grandfather, please take charge.'

ब्रह्माब्रवीत्ततो देवान्व्रजामो विष्णुमव्ययम्। ब्रह्मादयोऽब्रुवन्विष्णुं त्वया दत्तवरेऽसुरे ।। ४४.

Then Brahma said to the gods, 'Let us approach the imperishable Vishnu.' Brahma and the others addressed Vishnu: 'You have granted a boon to the demon.'

तद्दर्शनाद्ययुः स्वर्गं शून्यं लोक त्रयं ह्यभूत्। देवैरुक्तो वासुदेवो ब्रह्माणं स वचोऽब्रवीत् ।। ४४.

From seeing him, they went to heaven, and the three worlds became empty; Vasudeva, addressed by the gods, spoke these words to Brahma.