Vayu Purana

क्रौञ्चरूपेण हि मुनिर्मुण्डपृष्ठे तपोऽकरोत्। तस्य पादाङ्कितो यस्मात्क्रौञ्चपादस्ततः स्मृतः ।। ४६.

In the form of a krauncha-bird, the sage performed austerity on the skull-shaped hill; because his foot was imprinted there, it is known as Krauncha's Foot.

स्नातो जलाशये तत्र नयेत्स्वर्गं स्वकं कुलम्। बलिः काकशिलायाञ्च काकेभ्य ऋणमोक्षदः ।। ४६.

One who bathes in the lake there leads his own lineage to heaven; Bali, at the Kakashila, grants release from debts to the crows.

मुण्डपृष्ठस्य सानौ हि लोमशो लोमहर्षणः। द्वावेतौ परमं तप्त्वा तपःसिद्धिं परां गतौ ।। ४६.

On the summit of the skull-shaped hill, Lomasha and Lomaharshana—these two, after performing supreme austerity, attained the highest perfection of tapas.

आहूतास्तु सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा लोमशेन महानदी। शरावती वेत्रवती चन्द्रभागा सरस्वती ।। ४६.

Summoned by Lomasha, the best of rivers, the great rivers appeared: Sharavati, Vetravati, Chandrabhaga, and Sarasvati.

कावेरी सिन्धुरीरा च चन्दना च सरिद्वरा। वासिष्ठी सरयूर्गङ्गा यमुना गण्डकीन्दिरा ।। ४६.

Kaveri, Sindhuri, Chandana—the best of rivers—Vasishthi, Sarayu, Ganga, Yamuna, Gandaki, and Indira.

महावैतरणी नाम्ना निक्षरा च दिवौकसः । सावव्यलकनन्दा च ह्युदीची कन्काह्वया ।। ४६.

The great Vaitarani by name, and Nikshara, beloved of the gods; Savavyalakananda and the northern river called Kanka.

कौशिकी ब्रह्मदा ज्येष्ठा सर्वस्याघविमोचिनी। कृष्णवल्वा चर्म्मवती द्वे नद्यौ मुक्तिदायिके ।। ४६.

Kaushiki, Brahmada, Jyeshtha, the remover of all sin; Krishna-valva and Charmavati, two rivers bestowing liberation.

आहूते सरितां श्रेष्ठे लोमह्रर्षेण साहसात् । तपसस्तु प्रभावेण नर्म्मदा मुनिपुङ्गव। तासु सर्वासु यः स्नात्वा पिण्डदः स्वर्नयेत्पितॄन् ।। ४६.

Summoned by Lomaharshana's might and the power of his austerity, O best of sages, the Narmada appeared; among all these, one who bathes and offers the rice-ball causes his ancestors to ascend to heaven.

ब्रह्मयोनिं प्रविश्याथ निर्गच्छेद्यस्तु मानवः। परं ब्रह्म स यातीह विमुक्तो योनिसङ्कटात् ।। ४६.

One who enters the Brahmayoni and then departs from it, that person attains the supreme Brahman here, freed from the distress of rebirth.

निक्षरायां पुष्करिण्यां स्नातः श्राद्धादिकं नरः। कुर्य्यात्क्रौञ्चपदे दिव्ये नियमाद्वासरत्रयम्। सर्वान्पितॄन्नयेत्स्वर्गं पञ्चपापिन एव च ।। ४६.

If a man bathes in the Nikṣarā pond and performs śrāddha and related rites at the divine Krauncha site for three days with discipline, he leads all his ancestors, even five who were sinful, to heaven.

जनार्दनो भस्मकूटे तस्य हस्ते तु पिण्डदः। आत्मनोऽप्यथवान्येषां सव्येनापि तिलैर्विना। जीवतां दधिसंमिश्रं सर्वे ते विष्णुलोकगाः ।। ४६.

Janārdana stands at the heap of ashes, offering the rice ball in his hand; whether for himself or others, even without sesame seeds, if mixed with curd and given while alive, all reach the world of Viṣṇu.

यस्तु पिण्डो मया दत्तस्तव हस्ते जनार्दन। यदुद्दिश्य त्वया देयस्तस्मिन्पिण्डो मृते प्रभो ।। ४६.

The rice ball I have given, Janārdana, is in your hand; whatever you intend to offer, that rice ball, O Lord, is to be given for the deceased.

एष पिण्डो मया दत्तस्तव हस्ते जनार्दन। अन्तकाले गते मह्यं त्वया देयो गयाशिरे ।। ४६.

This rice ball I have given, Janārdana, is in your hand; at the end of my life, you should offer it at Gayāśira for me.

जनार्दन नमस्तुभ्यं नमस्ते पितृमोक्षद। पितृपते नमस्तेऽस्तु नमस्ते पितृरूपिणे ।। ४६.

Janārdana, I bow to you; salutations to you, the liberator of ancestors; O lord of ancestors, I bow to you; salutations to you, who take the form of ancestors.

गयायां पितृरूपेण स्वयमेव जनार्दनः। तं दृष्ट्वा पुण्डरीकाक्षं मुच्यते च ऋणत्रयात् ।। ४६.

At Gayā, Janārdana himself appears in the form of ancestors; seeing Puṇḍarīkākṣa there, one is freed from the three debts.

नमस्ते पुण्डरीकाक्ष ऋणत्रयविमोचक। लक्ष्मीकान्त नमस्तेऽस्तु पितॄणां मोक्षदो भव ।। ४६.

Salutations to you, Puṇḍarīkākṣa, liberator from the three debts; O beloved of Lakṣmī, salutations to you; grant liberation to the ancestors.

वामजानु सुसंपात्य नत्वा भीमो जनार्दनम्। श्राद्धं सपिण्डकं कृत्वा भ्रातृभिर्ब्रह्मलोकभाक्। पितृभिः सह धर्मात्मा कुलानाञ्च शतेन च ।। ४६.

Bhīma, after placing his left knee down and bowing to Janārdana, performed the śrāddha with the sapiṇḍa rite together with his brothers; he attained the world of Brahmā with his ancestors and hundreds of his lineage, being righteous.

शिलायां व्यक्तरूपेण व्यक्ताव्यक्तात्मना स्थितः। लक्ष्मीशो विभुधैः सार्द्धं तस्माद्देवमयी शिला ।। ४६.

On the stone, Lakṣmī's lord stands in a manifest form, with both manifest and unmanifest nature, together with the gods; therefore, the stone is divine.

.नारद उवाच।। कथं व्यक्तस्वरूपेण स्थितश्चादिगदाधरः। कथं व्यक्तस्वरूपेण व्यक्ताव्यक्तात्मना स्थितः ।। ४७.

Nārada said: How did the bearer of the primordial mace stand in a manifest form? How did he stand with both manifest and unmanifest nature?

कथं गदा समुत्पन्ना यथा ह्यादिगदाधरः। गदालोलं कथं चासीत् सर्व्वपापक्षयङ्करम् ।। ४७.

How did the mace arise, and how did the primordial mace-bearer come to be? How did he become attached to the mace, which destroys all sins?

सनत्कुमार उवाच।। गदो नामासुरो ह्यासीद्वज्राद्वज्रतरो दृढः। तपसा दारुणेनासौ ब्रह्मलब्धवरः पुरा। प्रार्थितो ब्रह्मणे प्रादात्स्वशरीरास्थि दुस्त्यजम् ।। ४७.

Sanatkumāra said: There was an asura named Gada, stronger than thunderbolt, firm; through fierce austerity, he once obtained a boon from Brahmā, and when requested, gave his own difficult-to-renounce bone to Brahmā.

ब्रह्मोक्तो विश्वकर्म्मापि गदां चक्रेऽद्भुतां तदा। तदस्थि वज्रनिष्पेषैः कुन्दैः स्वर्गे ह्यधारयत् ।। ४७.

Brahmā instructed Viśvakarman, who then made a wondrous mace; that bone was placed in heaven, forged with thunderbolt hammers and anvils.

अथ कालेन महता मनौ स्वायम्भुवे क्वचित। हेती रक्षो ब्रह्मपुत्रः तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम् ।। ४७.

Then, after a long time, during the era of Svāyambhuva Manu, Heti, a demon and son of Brahmā, performed severe austerity somewhere.

दिव्यवर्षसहस्राणां शतं वायुमभक्षयत्। उन्मुखश्चोर्द्ध्वबाहुश्च पादाङ्गुष्ठभरेण ह ।। ४७.

For a hundred thousand divine years, he subsisted on air, standing upright with raised arms, supported only by his big toe.

एकेनातिष्ठदव्यग्रः शीर्णपर्णानिलाशनः। ब्रह्मादींस्तपसा तुष्टान्वरं वव्रे वरप्रदान् ।। ४७.

He stood on one foot, unmoving, eating only dried leaves and air; having pleased Brahmā and others with his austerity, he asked for a boon from the grantors of boons.

देवैर्दैत्यैश्च शस्त्रैर्विविधैर्मनुजादिभिः। कृष्णेशानादिचक्राद्यैरवध्यः स्यां महाबलः ।। ४७.

He requested: 'May I be invincible to gods, demons, weapons of all kinds, men, and others, and to Kṛṣṇa, Śiva, and the primordial cakra-bearers; may I possess great strength.'

तथेत्युक्त्वान्तर्हितास्ते हेतिर्देवानथाजयत्। इन्द्रत्वमकरोद्धेतिर्भीता ब्रह्महरादयः ।। ४७.

They replied, 'So be it,' and vanished; then Heti conquered the gods and assumed the position of Indra, causing fear among Brahmā, Śiva, and others.

हरिं ते शरणं जग्मुरूचुर्हेतिं जहीति तान् । ऊचे हरिरवध्योऽयं हेतिर्देवासुरैः सुराः ।। ४७.

They sought refuge in Hari and said, 'O weapon, desist from them.' Hari replied, 'This weapon is invincible by gods and asuras, O gods.'

महास्त्रं मे प्रयच्छध्वं हेतिं हन्मि हि येन तम्। इत्युक्तास्ते ततो देवा गदां तां हरये ददुः ।। ४७.

'Give me a great weapon by which I may strike down this weapon,' he said. Then the gods gave that mace to Hari.