Vayu Purana

जन्मान्तरशतं साग्रं यत्कृतं दुष्कृतं मया। तत्सर्वं विलयं यातु रामतीर्थाभिषेचनात् ।। ४६.

All the evil deeds I have committed over a hundred lifetimes, with their remnants, are completely destroyed by the ablution at Rāma's Tīrtha.

मन्त्रेणानेन यः स्नात्वा श्राद्धं कुर्वीत मानवः। रामतीर्थे पिण्डदस्तु विष्णुलोकं प्रयात्यसौ। तथेत्युक्त्वा स्थितो रामः सीतया भरताग्रजः ।। ४६.

Whoever bathes here with this mantra and performs the ancestral rite at Rāma's Tīrtha, offering the rice-ball, attains the world of Viṣṇu; after affirming this, Rāma remained there with Sītā, the elder brother of Bharata.

राम राम महाबाहो देवानामभयङ्कर। त्वां नमस्येऽत्र देवेशं मम नश्यतु पातकम् ।। ४६.

O Rāma, Rāma, mighty-armed, who dispels fear among the gods, I bow to you here, O lord of the gods; let my sin be destroyed.

मन्त्रेणानेन यः स्नात्वा श्राद्धं कुर्यात्सपिण्डकम् । प्रेतत्वात्तस्य पितरो विमुक्ताः पितृतां ययुः ।। ४६.

Whoever bathes here with this mantra and performs the ancestral rite with the rice-ball, his ancestors are released from the state of departed souls and attain ancestral status.

आपस्त्वमसि देवेश ज्योतिषां पतिरेव च। पाप नाशय मे देव मनोवाक्कायकर्मजम् ।। ४६.

You are the waters, O lord of the gods, and indeed the master of the luminaries; O god, destroy my sin arising from mind, speech, and bodily actions.

नमस्कृत्य प्रभासेशं भासमानं शिवं व्रजेत्। तञ्च शम्भुं नमस्कृत्य कुर्याद्यमबलिं ततः ।। ४६.

After bowing to the lord of Prabhāsa, shining, one should approach Śiva; and after bowing to Śambhu, one should then perform the rice-ball offering.

रामे वनं गते शैलमागत्य भरतः स्थितः । पितृपिण्डादिकं कृत्वा रामं संस्थाप्य तत्र च ।। ४६.

When Rāma went to the forest, Bharata arrived at the mountain and remained there; after performing the ancestral rites, he established Rāma there as well.

रामं सीतां लक्ष्मणञ्च मुनीन्स्थापितवान्प्रभुः। भरतस्याश्रमे पुण्ये नित्यं पुण्यतमैर्वृतम्। मतङ्गस्य पदं तत्र दृश्यते सर्वमानुषैः ।। ४६.

The lord established Rāma, Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa, and the sages in Bharata's sacred hermitage, always surrounded by the most virtuous; there, the footprint of Mataṅga is visible to all people.

स्थापितं धर्मसर्वस्वं लोकस्यास्य निदर्शनात्। मतङ्गस्य पदे श्राद्धी सर्वांस्तारयते पितॄन् ।। ४६.

The essence of Dharma was established there, as an example for the world; at the footprint of Mataṅga, the performance of the ancestral rite saves all ancestors.

रामतीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा रामं सीतां समर्च्य च। रामेश्वरं प्रणम्याथ न देही जायते पुनः ।। ४६.

Whoever bathes at Rāma's Tīrtha, worships Rāma and Sītā, and bows to Rāmeśvara, does not take birth again as an embodied being.

शिलाया जघनं भूयः समाक्रान्तं नगेन तु। धर्मराजेन संप्रोक्तो न गच्छेति नगः स्मृतः ।। ४६.

The lower part of the stone was again covered by the mountain; Dharma-rāja declared that the mountain should not be approached, and thus it is remembered as the forbidden mountain.

यमराजधर्मराजौ निश्चलार्थं व्यवस्थितौ। ताभ्यां बलिं प्रयच्छामि पितॄणां मुक्ति हेतवे ।। ४६.

Yama and Dharma-rāja, steadfast in their purpose, are established there; to them I offer the rice-ball for the sake of the ancestors' liberation.

द्वौ श्वानौ श्यामशबलौ वैवस्वतकुलोद्भवौ। ताभ्यां बलिं प्रयच्छामि स्यातामेतावहिंसकौ ।। ४६.

Two dogs, one dark and one spotted, born in the lineage of Vaivasvata, to them I offer the rice-ball; let them not be violent.

ऐन्द्रवारुण वायन्ययाम्यनैऋत्यसंस्थिताः। वायसाः प्रतिगृह्णन्तु भूयो पिण्डं मया स्थितम् ।। ४६.

Let the crows, stationed in the directions of Indra, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Yama, and Nairṛta, accept again the rice-ball I have placed.

यमोऽसि यमदूतोऽसि वायसोऽसि महाबल। सप्तजन्मकृतं पापं बलिं भुक्त्वा विनाशय ।। ४६.

You are Yama, you are Yama's messenger, you are the powerful crow; after consuming the offering, destroy the sin accumulated over seven births.

रामे वनं गते शैलमागत्य भरतेन हि। पितुः पिण्डादिकं कृत्वा रामेशः स्थापितोऽत्र वै ।। ४६.

When Rāma went to the forest, Bharata came to the mountain, performed the ancestral rites for his father, and there established the image of Rāma.

स्नात्वा नत्वा च रामेशं रामसीता समन्वितम्। तत्र श्राद्धं सपिण्डञ्च कृत्वा विष्णुपुरं व्रजेत्। पितृभिः सह धर्मात्मा कुलानाञ्च शतैःसह ।। ४६.

Having bathed and bowed to Rāmeśa, accompanied by Rāma and Sītā, one should perform the śrāddha and piṇḍa offerings there, and then proceed to Viṣṇupura, together with the ancestors and hundreds of one's lineage, being righteous.

रामं सीतां लक्ष्मणञ्च मुनीन्स्थापितवान्प्रभुः। भरतस्याश्रमे पुण्ये नित्यं पुण्यतमैर्वृतम्। मतङ्गस्य पदं तत्र दृश्यते सर्वमानुषैः ।। ४६.

The Lord established Rāma, Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa, and the sages in the holy hermitage of Bharata, always surrounded by the most virtuous; there, the footprint of Mataṅga is seen by all people.

वह्निर्द्वौ वरुणौ रुद्राश्चत्वारः पितृमोक्षदाः। भरताश्रममासाद्य तान्नमेत्पूजयेन्नरः ।। ४६.

The fire, two Varuṇas, four Rudras—these bestowers of liberation for the ancestors—having reached Bharata's hermitage, a man should worship them with food.

पापेभ्यश्चोपपापेभ्यो मुच्यते पितृभिः सह। यत्र कुत्रापि देवर्षे भरतस्याश्रमे नरः । स्नातः श्राद्धादिकं कुर्यात्तत्कल्पेऽपि न हीयते ।। ४६.

From all sins and lesser faults, a man is freed together with his ancestors, O divine sage, wherever in Bharata's hermitage he, having bathed, performs śrāddha and related rites; even in that age, it is never lost.

गयायां चाक्षयं श्राद्धं जपहोमतपांसि च। सर्वमानन्त्यमाहुर्वै यद्दत्तं भरताश्रमे ।। ४६.

In Gayā, the śrāddha is imperishable, as are recitation, oblation, and austerities; all is said to be infinite that is given in Bharata's hermitage.

चतुर्युगस्वरूपेण चतस्रो रविमूर्त्तयः । दृष्टाः स्पृष्टाः पूजितास्ताः पितॄणां मुक्तिदायकाः ।। ४६.

In the form of the four yugas, four manifestations of the Sun are seen, touched, and worshipped there; they grant liberation to the ancestors.

मुक्तिर्वांमन इत्येव तारकाख्यो विधिः परः। संसारार्णवतप्तानां नावावेतौ सुरेश्वरौ। तारकं ब्रह्म विश्वेषां मृतानां जीवतामिदम् ।। ४६.

Liberation is indeed by mind and speech—this is the supreme rule called Tāraka; for those scorched by the ocean of worldly existence, these two lords are the boat; this Tāraka Brahman is for all beings, both the dead and the living.

त्रिविक्रमञ्च ब्रह्माणं यः पश्येत्पुरुषोत्तमम्। पितृभिः सह धर्मात्मा स याति परमां गतिम् ।। ४६.

Whoever sees Trivikrama, Brahmā, and the Supreme Person, together with his ancestors, that righteous one attains the highest state.

शिलाया वामपादेऽपि तथाभ्युद्यन्तको गिरिः । स्थापितः पिण्डदस्तत्र पितॄन्ब्रह्मपुरं नयेत् ।। ४६.

Even on the left foot of the stone, the rising mountain is thus established; there, having offered piṇḍa, one leads the ancestors to Brahmapura.

नैमिषारण्यपार्श्वे तु ईचे ब्रह्मा सुरैः सह। मुख्यसंज्ञं हि तत्तीर्थं देवास्तत्र पदे स्थिताः ।। ४६.

On the side of Naimiṣāraṇya, Brahmā, together with the gods, declared: 'That is the chief holy place,' for there the gods stand at the footprint.

त्रिषु तेषु पदेष्वेव तीर्थेषु मुनिसत्तम। यत्किञ्चिदशुभं कर्म तत्प्रणश्यति नारद ।। ४६.

In those three places, O best of sages, whatever unwholesome deed there may be, O Nārada, it is destroyed.

तन्नैमिषवनं पुण्यं सेवितं पुण्यपूरुषैः। तत्र व्यासः शुकः पैलः कण्वो वेधाः शिवो हरिः ।। ४६.

That holy Naimiṣa forest, served by the most virtuous men, there Vyāsa, Śuka, Paila, Kaṇva, Vedhas, Śiva, and Hari reside.

तेषां दर्शनमात्रेण मुच्यते पातकैर्नरः। वामहस्ते शिलायास्तु तथा चोद्यन्तको गिरिः ।। ४६.

By merely seeing them, a man is freed from sins; on the stone in the left hand, likewise, is the rising mountain.