Vayu Purana

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.'

लोकाः पुण्या गयायां ये श्राद्धिनो ब्रह्मलोकगाः। युष्मान्ये पूजयिष्यन्ति तैरहं पूजितः सदा ।। ४४.

Those who perform śrāddha in holy Gayā attain the world of Brahmā; those people will honor you, and by them I am always worshipped.

आक्रान्तं दैत्यजठरं धर्म्मेण विरजाद्रिणा। नाभिकूपसमीपे तु देवी या विरजा स्थिता। तत्र पिण्डादिकं कृत्वा त्रिःसप्तकुलमुद्धरेत् ।। ४४.

The demon's belly was subdued by Dharma with the mountain Virajā; near the navel-pit, where the goddess Virajā stands, by offering piṇḍa and the like there, one uplifts twenty-one generations.

महेन्द्रगिरिणा तस्य कृतौ पादौ सुनिश्चलौ। iतत्र पिण्डादिकृत्सप्त कुलान्युद्धरते नरः ।। ४४.

By Mahendra mountain, his feet were firmly fixed; there too, by offering piṇḍa and the like, a man uplifts seven generations.

कथं शिला समुत्पन्ना ययाक्रान्तो गयासुरः । किं रूपं किं च माहात्म्यं तस्याः किं वद नाम च ।। ४५.

How did the stone arise, by which Gayāsura was subdued? What is its form, what is its greatness, and what is its name? Tell me this.

.सनत्कुमार उवाच।। आसीद्धर्म्मो महातेजाः सर्व्वविज्ञानपारगः। विश्वरुपा च तत्पत्नी भर्त्तृव्रतपरायणा ।। ४५.

Sanatkumāra said: There was Dharma, of great splendor, accomplished in all knowledge; and Viśvarūpā, his wife, devoted to her husband and to her vows.

तस्यां धर्म्मव्रतायास्तु कन्या धर्म्मव्रता सती। सर्व्व लक्षणसम्पन्ना लक्ष्मीरिव गुणाधिका ।। ४५.

To her, steadfast in Dharma and vows, was born a daughter, herself devoted to Dharma and vows, adorned with all auspicious marks, surpassing even Lakṣmī in virtues.

तस्यां ये तु गुणा ह्यासंस्ते तिष्ठन्ति जगत्र्त्रये। धर्म्मो धर्म्मव्रतायास्तु त्रिषु लोकेषु मार्गयन् ।। ४५.

The virtues that existed in her remain throughout the three worlds; Dharma, seeking a wife devoted to dharma, searched in all three realms.

नानु रूपं वरं लेभे धर्म्मोऽथ वरसिद्धये। तपः कुरु वरार्थं त्वं तथेत्युक्त्वा वनं ययौ ।। ४५.

Yet Dharma did not obtain a suitable form to gain the boon; he said, 'Perform austerity for the sake of the boon,' and, saying so, went to the forest.

कन्या सा च तपस्तेपे सर्व्वेषां दुष्करञ्च यत्। वायुभक्षा श्वेतकल्पे युगानामयुतं पुरा ।। ४५.

That maiden performed austerities, the most difficult of all, subsisting on air alone, during the white aeon, for ten thousand ages in ancient times.

ब्रह्मणो मानसः पुत्रो मरीचिर्नाम विश्रुतः । पर्य्यटन्पृथिवीं सर्व्वां कन्यारत्नं ददर्श सः ।। ४५.

Marici, the renowned mind-born son of Brahma, while wandering over the whole earth, beheld that jewel among maidens.