Vayu Purana

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.

अगस्त्यस्य पदे स्नातः पिण्डदो ब्रह्मलोकगः। ब्रह्मणस्तु वरं लेभे माहात्म्यं भुवि दुर्लभम् ।। ४६.

He who bathes at the place of Agastya and offers the ancestral cake attains the world of Brahma; he receives from Brahma a boon, a greatness rare on earth.

लोपामुद्रां तथा भार्य्यां पितॄणां परमां गतिम्। तत्रागस्त्येश्वरं दृष्ट्वा मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया ।। ४६.

Likewise, seeing Lopamudra, his wife, who grants the highest state to the ancestors, and beholding Agastyeshvara there, one is freed from the sin of killing a Brahmin.

अगस्त्यञ्च सभार्य्यञ्च पितॄन्ब्रह्मपुरं नयेत्। दण्डिनाथ तपस्तेपे सीताद्रेर्दक्षिणे गिरौ ।। ४६.

One who leads Agastya and his wife, along with the ancestors, to the city of Brahma—Dandinatha performed austerities on the southern mountain of Sitadri.

वटो वटेश्वरस्तत्र स्थितश्च प्रपितामहः। तदग्रे रुक्मिणीकुण्डं पश्चिमे कपिला नदी। कपिलेशो नदीतीरे ह्यमासोमसमागमे ।। ४६.

There stands the banyan tree, Vatashvara, and the great-grandfather; before it is Rukmini's pool, to the west flows the river Kapila, and on the riverbank is Kapilesha, at the conjunction of Amavasya and Purnima.

कपिलायां नरः स्नात्वा कपिलेशं समर्च्य च। कृते श्राद्धे पिण्डदाने पितरो मोक्षमाप्नुयुः ।। ४६.

One who bathes in the Kapila, worships Kapilesha, and performs the ancestral rites and offerings there, his ancestors attain liberation.

तत्राग्निधारा गिरिवरादागतोद्यन्तकादनु। तत्र सारस्वतं कुण्डं सरस्वत्या प्रकल्पितम् ।। ४६.

There, from the mountain, flows the stream of Agni; there is the Sarasvata pool, established by Sarasvati.

शुक्रस्तत्र सुतैः सार्द्धं षण्डामर्क्कादिभिः प्रभुः। तत्र तत्र मुनीन्द्राणां पदेषु मुनिसत्तम। श्राद्धपिण्डादिकृत्स्नातः पितॄंस्तारयते नरः ।। ४६.

There, Shukra, together with his sons and the leaders of the Sanda and Maruts, O best of sages, at the places of the great sages, one who bathes and offers the ancestral cake uplifts his ancestors.

शिलाया वामहस्तेऽपि गृद्रकूटो गिरिर्धृतः। गृध्ररूपेण संसिद्धास्तपस्तप्त्वा महर्षयः ।। ४६.

On the left side of the stone is the mountain called Gridhrakuta; there, the great sages, having performed austerities in the form of vultures, attained perfection.

अतो गिरिर्गृध्रकूटस्तत्र गृध्रेश्वरः स्थितः। दृष्ट्वा गृध्रेश्वरं नत्वा यायाच्छम्भोः पदं नरः ।। ४६.

Therefore, the mountain is called Gridhrakuta, and there stands Gridhrashvara; seeing Gridhrashvara and bowing, a person attains the abode of Shambhu.

तत्र गृध्रे गुहायाञ्च पिण्डदः शिवलोकभाक् । तत्र गृध्रे वटं नत्वा प्राप्तकामो दिवं व्रजेत् ।। ४६.

There, in the cave of the vulture, one who offers the ancestral cake attains the world of Shiva; bowing to the banyan tree at the vulture's place, one who has fulfilled his desires goes to heaven.

ऋणमोक्षं पापमोक्षं शिवं दृष्ट्वा शिवं व्रजेत्। शूरक्षेत्रञ्च तत्रास्ते पिण्डदः स्वर्नयेत्पितॄन् ।। ४६.

By seeing Shiva, one is freed from debt and sin and attains Shiva; there is the field of Shura, where one who offers the ancestral cake leads his ancestors to heaven.

आदिपालेन गिरिणा समाक्रान्तं शिलोदरम्। तत्रास्ते गजरूपेण विघ्रेशो विग्ननाशनः। तं दृष्ट्वा मुच्यते विघ्नैः पितॄन् ब्रह्मपुरं नयेत् ।। ४६.

The hollow of the stone, seized by the primeval protector of the mountain, is there; there, in the form of an elephant, is Vighnesha, the remover of obstacles. Seeing him, one is freed from obstacles and leads the ancestors to the city of Brahma.

नितम्बे मुण्डपृष्ठस्य देवदारुवनं त्वभूत्। मुण्डपृष्ठारविन्द्राद्री दृष्ट्वा पापं विनाशयेत्। गयानाभौ सुषुम्नायां पिण्डदः स्वर्नयेत्पितॄन् ।। ४६.

On the lower back of the skull-shaped hill is the Deodar forest; seeing the skull-shaped hill and the Indra mountain there destroys sin. At the navel of Gaya, in the Sushumna channel, one who offers the rice-ball causes his ancestors to ascend to heaven.

शिलाया वामपादे तु स्थापितः प्रेतपर्वतः। धर्मराजेन पापेभ्यो गिरिः प्रेतशिलाह्वयः ।। ४६.

On the left foot of the stone is established the Preta Mountain by Dharmaraja, for the sake of sinners; that mountain is called Preta-shila.

पादेन दूरे निक्षिप्तः शिलायाः पादभारतः। गतः शिलायाः संसर्गात्प्रेतकूटः पवित्रताम् ।। ४६.

Cast far away by his foot, the weight of the stone, by contact with the stone, Preta-kuta became purified.

प्रेतकुण्डञ्च तत्रास्ते देवास्तत्र पदे स्थिताः। तत्र कुण्डादिकं कृत्वा प्रेतत्वान्मोचयेत्पितॄन् ।। ४६.

There is the Preta-kunda, and there the gods are established at that spot; by performing rites such as the offering at the kunda, one releases the ancestors from the state of being pretas.

पृथक्स्थिताश्च बहवो विघ्नकारिण एव ते। श्राद्धादिकारिणां नॄणां तीर्थे पितृविमुक्तये। प्रेता धानुष्करूपेण करग्रहणकारकाः ।। ४६.

Many obstacles stand apart there, causing hindrance to those performing shraddha and other rites at the sacred place for the liberation of ancestors; the pretas, in the form of bows, seize the hands of the performers.

पादाङ्कितां मुण्डपृष्ठां महादेवनिवासिनीम्। तां दृष्ट्वा सर्वलोकश्च मुक्तः पापोपपातकैः ।। ४६.

The skull-shaped hill, marked by the footprint and abode of Mahadeva—seeing that, all people are freed from the fall into all sins.

गयाशिरसि पुण्ये च सर्वपापैर्विवर्जिते। ग्रेतादिवर्जितं यस्मात्ततोऽतिपावनं वरम् ।। ४६.

On the sacred summit of Gaya, free from all sins and untouched by pretas and others, it is supremely pure and excellent.

कीकटेषु गया पुण्या पुण्यं राजगृहं वनम्। च्यवनस्याश्रमं पुण्यं नदी पुण्या पुनःपुना ।। ४६.

In the Kikata region is holy Gaya, the sacred forest of Rajagriha, the holy ashram of Cyavana, and the river, ever and again, is sacred.