Vayu Purana

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.

स पर्वतः समानीतो ह्यगस्त्येन महात्मना। तत्र ब्रह्मा हरश्चैव तपश्चोग्रञ्च चक्रतुः ।। ४६.

That mountain was brought by the great-souled Agastya; there Brahmā and Hara performed severe austerities.

तत्रागस्त्यस्य हि वरं कुण्डं त्रैलोक्यदुर्लभम्। यत्र मुन्यष्टकं सिद्धं तपस्तप्त्वा शिवं गतम्। कुण्डे मुन्यष्टकं नत्वा पितॄन्ब्रह्मपुरं नयेत् ।। ४६.

There is Agastya's sacred pond, difficult to obtain even in the three worlds, where the eight great sages, having performed austerities, attained blessedness; by bowing to the eight sages at the pond, one leads the ancestors to Brahmapura.

अगस्त्येनाथ देवर्षे ह्युदयाद्रेर्महात्मना। शिलाया वामहस्तेऽपि स्थापितो गिरिराट् शुभः। वादित्राद्यैर्दिव्यगीतैराढ्यो वादित्रको गिरिः ।। ४६.

Then, O divine sage, by Agastya, the great soul, the auspicious king of mountains was established even on the left hand of the stone of Udayādri, resounding with celestial music and songs, the mountain of music.

तत्र विद्याधरो नाम गन्धर्वाप्सरसाङ्गणैः। समेतोऽद्यापि कीतानि दिव्यानि सह गीयते ।। ४६.

There, a Vidyādhara by name, together with Gandharvas and groups of Apsarases, even today sings divine songs in unison.

मोहनश्च सुनीथश्च शैलूजो मोहनोत्तमः। पर्वतो नारदध्यानी सङ्गीती पुष्पदन्तकः। हाहा हूहूप्रभृतयो गीतदानं प्रजक्रिरे ।। ४६.

Mohana, Sunitha, Shailuja, the supreme Mohana, Parvata, Naradadhyani, Sangiti, Pushpadantaka, as well as Haha and Huhu and others, offered songs as gifts.

तथा चित्ररथो नाम सर्वगन्धर्वसंवृतः। गायति मधुराण्येव गीतान्यद्रौ महोत्सवम् ।। ४६.

Likewise, Citraratha by name, surrounded by all the Gandharvas, sings sweet songs on the mountain during the great festival.

अतः स पर्वतो देवैः सेव्यतेऽद्यापि नित्यशः। धर्मजास्तत्र देवेशो हरो भस्माङ्गरागवान् ।। ४६.

Therefore, that mountain is still always served by the gods; there, the Lord of the gods, Hara, adorned with ashes, was born of Dharma.

पार्वत्या सहितो रुद्रः पर्वते गीतनादिते। मोदते पूजितोद्येयः पितॄणां परमां गतिम् ।। ४६.

Rudra, together with Parvati, delights on the mountain amid the sound of singing, worshipped and praised, granting the highest state to the ancestors.

गयायां परमात्मा हि गोपतिर्वा गदाधरः। हीयते वैष्णवी माया तथा रुद्रार्च्चया मुने ।। ४६.

In Gaya, the Supreme Self, whether as the Lord of Cows or as Gadadhara, is present; O sage, the Vaishnava illusion is dispelled there, as is Rudra's worship.

शिलाया दक्षिणे हस्ते भस्मकूटो गिरिर्धृतः। धर्म्मराजेन तत्रास्ते ह्यगस्त्यः सह भार्य्यया ।। ४६.

On the southern side of the stone, the mountain called Bhasmakuta is held; there, Dharmaraja resides with Agastya and his wife.