Vayu Purana

आगत्य विष्णुः क्षीराब्धेः शिलायां संस्थितोऽभवत्। जनार्द्दनाभिधानेन पुण्डरीकेति नामतः। शिलायांनिश्चलार्थं हि स्वयमादिगदाधरः ।। ४४.

Viṣṇu came from the ocean of milk and stood upon the stone, known by the name Janārdana, called Puṇḍarīka, and, to make the stone immovable, the original wielder of the mace himself stood there.

निश्चलार्थं पञ्चधासीच्छिलायां प्रपितापहः। पितामहोऽथ फल्ग्वीशः केदारः कनकेश्वरः ।। ४४.

To make it immovable, the remover of ancestors’ suffering became fivefold in the stone: Pitāmaha, then Lord Phalgvīśa, Kedāra, and Kanakeśvara.

ब्रह्मा स्थितः स्वयं तत्र गजरूपी विनायकः। गयादित्यश्चोत्तरार्को दक्षिणार्कस्त्रिधा रविः ।। ४४.

Brahmā himself stood there, Vināyaka in the form of an elephant, Gayāditya, the northern sun, the southern sun, and the sun in three forms.

लक्ष्मीः सीताभिधानेन गौरी च मङ्गलाह्वया। गायत्री चैव सावित्री त्रिसन्ध्या च सरस्वती ।। ४४.

Lakṣmī by the name Sītā, Gaurī called Maṅgalā, as well as Gāyatrī, Sāvitrī, Trisandhyā, and Sarasvatī.

इन्द्रो बृहस्पतिः पूषा वसवोऽष्टौ महाबलाः। विश्वेदेवाश्चाश्विनेयौ मारुतो विश्वनायकः। सयक्षोरगगन्धर्व्वास्तस्थुर्देवाः स्वशाक्तिभिः ।। ४४.

Indra, Bṛhaspati, Pūṣā, the eight mighty Vasus, the Viśvedevās, the Aśvins, Māruta, Viśvanāyaka, and the gods with Yakṣas, serpents, and Gandharvas—these deities stood there with their own powers.

आद्यया गदया चासौ यस्माद्दैत्यः स्थिरीकृतः। स्थित इत्येव हरिणा तस्मादादिगदाधरः ।। ४४.

By that primordial mace, the demon was made steady; thus, because Hari stood there, he is called the original wielder of the mace.

ऊचे गयासुरो देवान्किमर्थं वञ्चितो ह्यहम्। यज्ञार्थं ब्रह्मणे दत्तं शरीरममलं मया। विष्णोर्वचनमात्रेण किं न स्यां निश्चलो ह्यहम् ।। ४४.

Gayāsura said to the gods: 'Why have I been deceived? I gave my pure body to Brahmā for the sake of sacrifice; by Viṣṇu’s mere word, why should I not remain immovable?'

यत्सुरैः पीडितोऽत्यर्थं गदया हरिणा तथा। पीडितो यद्यहं देवाः प्रसन्नाः सन्तु सर्वदा ।। ४४.

'If I have been greatly afflicted by the gods and by Hari’s mace, then, O gods, may you always be pleased.'

गदाधरादयस्तुष्टाः प्रोचुः सार्द्धं गयासुरम्। वरं ब्रूहि प्रसन्नाः स्मो देवानूचे गयासुरः ।। ४४.

The wielder of the mace and the others, pleased, spoke together with Gayāsura: 'Ask for a boon; we are pleased.' Thus addressed, Gayāsura spoke to the gods.

यावत्पृथ्वी पर्वताश्च यावच्चन्द्रार्कतारकाः। तावच्छिलायां तिष्ठन्तु ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः। अन्ये च सकला देवा मन्नाम्ना क्षेत्रमस्तु वै ।। ४४.

'As long as the earth and mountains endure, as long as the moon, sun, and stars exist, may Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara remain in the stone, and may all other gods as well. May this field bear my name.'

पञ्चक्रोशं गयाक्षेत्रं क्रोशमेकं गयाशिरः । तन्मध्ये सर्वतीर्थानि प्रयच्छन्तु हितं नृणाम् ।। ४४.

'Let Gayā’s field be five krośas, and Gayāśira one krośa; within it, may all the sacred fords grant benefit to men.'

स्नानादितर्पणं कृत्वा पिण्डदानात्फलाधिकम्। महात्मा वै सहस्रञ्च कुलानां चोद्धरेन्नरः ।। ४४.

'By performing bathing, offerings, and especially the gift of piṇḍa, a great soul may deliver a thousand families.'

व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपेण यूयं तिष्ठत सर्वदा। गदाधरः स्वयं लोकाद्भूयात्सर्वाघनाशनात् ।। ४४.

'You should always remain here in manifest and unmanifest forms; may Gadādhara himself, by destroying all sins, be present in all worlds.'

श्राद्धं सपिण्डकं येषां ब्रह्मलोकं प्रयान्तु ते। ब्रह्महत्यादिकं पापं विनश्यतु च सेविनाम् ।। ४४.

'Those for whom the śrāddha with piṇḍa is performed here should go to Brahmaloka; and the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa and other sins should be destroyed for those who serve here.'

नैमिषं पुष्करं गङ्गा प्रयागश्चाविमुक्तिकम्। एतान्यन्यानि तीर्थानि दिवि भुव्यन्तरिक्षतः। समायान्तु सदा नॄणां प्रयच्छन्तु हितं सुराः ।। ४४.

'May Naimiṣa, Puṣkara, Gaṅgā, Prayāga, and Avimuktika, and these and other sacred fords from heaven, earth, and the sky, always come here for men and grant benefit, O gods.'

किं बहूक्त्या सुरगणा युष्मास्वेकापि देवता। चेन्न तिष्ठेदहं चापि समयः प्रतिपाल्यताम् ।। ४४.

'Why say more, O hosts of gods? If even one deity among you does not remain here, then I too will not abide; let this agreement be observed.'

गयासुरवचः श्रुत्वा प्रोचुर्विष्ण्वादयःसुराः। त्वया यत्प्रार्थितं सर्व्वं तद्भविष्यत्यसंशयम् ।। ४४.

Hearing the words of Gayāsura, Viṣṇu and the other gods said: 'All that you have requested will surely come to pass.'

अस्मत्पादानर्च्चयित्वा यास्यन्ति परमां गतिम्। देवैर्दत्तवरो दैत्यो हर्षितो निश्चलोऽभवत् ।। ४४.

After worshipping my feet, they will attain the highest state; the demon, having received a boon from the gods, became joyful and unwavering.

स्थितेषु चैव देवेषु ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददावजः। ग्रामांश्च पञ्चपञ्चाशत्पञ्चक्रोशीं गयां तथा। गृहान्कृत्वा ददौ दिव्यान्सर्व्वोपस्करसंयुतान् ।। ४४.

And while the gods remained, the Unborn one gave to the Brahmins fifty-five villages, each five krośas in extent, as well as Gayā; he gave them divine houses equipped with all furnishings.

कामधेनुं कल्पवृक्षं पारिजातादिकांस्तरून्। महानदीं क्षीरवहां घृतकुल्यास्तथैव च ।। ४४.

He gave the wish-fulfilling cow, the wish-granting tree, trees such as Pārijāta, the great river carrying milk, and likewise streams of clarified butter.

मधुश्रवां मधुकुल्यां दध्याद्याढ्यसरांसि च। सुवर्णदीर्घिकां चैव बहूनन्नादिपर्व्वतान् ।। ४४.

He gave honey-bearing streams, honey-filled channels, lakes rich in curds and other delicacies, golden ponds, and many mountains abounding in food and grain.

भक्ष्यभोज्यफलादींश्च सर्व्वं ब्रह्मा सृजन्ददौ। न याचयध्वं विप्रेन्द्रा अन्यानुक्त्वा ददावजः ।। ४४.

He gave all kinds of food, dishes, fruits, and the like; Brahmā, creating all this, gave it. Do not ask for anything else, O best of Brahmins—having said this, the Unborn one gave.

दत्त्वा ययौ ब्रह्मलोकं नत्वा ह्यादिगदाधरम् । धर्म्मारण्ये तत्र धर्म्मं याजयित्वा ययाचिरे ।। ४४.

Having given, he went to the world of Brahmā, bowing to the one who holds the primeval utterance; there, in the forest of Dharma, after performing the Dharma sacrifice, they stayed for a long time.

धर्म्मयागे च लोभाद्वै प्रतिगृह्य धनादिकम्। ततो ब्रह्मा समागत्य ब्राह्मणांस्ताञ्छशाप ह ।। ४४.

But in the Dharma sacrifice, out of greed, they accepted wealth and the like; then Brahmā himself came and cursed those Brahmins.

कृतवन्तो यतो लोभं मद्दत्तेष्वखिलेष्वपि। तस्मादृणाधिका यूयं भविष्यन्ति सदा द्विजः ।। ४४.

Because you have acted out of greed regarding all the gifts I gave, therefore you will always be burdened with debt, O twice-born ones.

युष्माकं स्याद्वारिवहा नदी पाषाणपर्व्वताः। नद्यादयो वारिवहा मृन्मयाश्च यथा गृहाः ।। ४४.

For you, the rivers will be waterless, the mountains made of stone; the rivers and the like will carry only water, and your houses will be made of clay.

कामधेनुः कल्पवृक्षो मल्लोकमुपतिष्ठताम्। एवं शप्ता ब्रह्मणा ते प्रार्थयन्तोऽब्रुवन्नजम् ।। ४४.

Let the wish-fulfilling cow and the wish-granting tree come to my world; thus cursed by Brahmā, they appealed to the Unborn one.

त्वया यद्दत्तमखिलं तत्सर्वं शापतो गतम्। जीवनार्थं प्रसादं नो भगवान्कर्त्तुमर्हसि ।। ४४.

All that you gave has been lost because of the curse; for the sake of our livelihood, O Lord, you ought to show us favor.

तच्छ्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणान्ब्रह्मा प्रोवाचेदं दयान्वितः। तीर्थोपजीविका यूयमाचन्द्रार्कं भविष्यथ ।। ४४.

Hearing this, Brahmā, filled with compassion, spoke to the Brahmins: 'You shall live by the sacred fords as long as the moon and sun endure.'