Vayu Purana

शन्तनुः प्राह सन्तुष्टः शास्त्रार्थे निश्चलो भवान्। त्रिकालदृष्टिर्भवत् चान्ते विष्णुश्च ते गतिः ।। ४९.

Śantanu, pleased, spoke: 'You are steadfast in the meaning of scripture; you will have vision of the three times, and at the end, Viṣṇu will be your destination.'

स्वेच्छया मरणं चास्तु इत्युक्त्वा मुक्तिमागतः। कनकेशञ्च केदारं नारसिंहं च वामनम् ।। ४९.

'Let death come at your own wish,' he said, and attained liberation; Kanakeśa, Kedāra, Nārasiṃha, and Vāmana.

उदङ्मार्गे समभ्यर्च्च्य पितॄन्सर्व्वांश्च तारयेत्। गयाशिरसि यः पिण्डान्येषां नाम्ना तु निर्वपेत् ।। ४९.

By worshipping all the ancestors along the northern path, whoever offers oblations at Gayāśiras in their names will deliver them.

नरकस्था दिवं यान्ति स्वर्गस्था मोक्षमाप्नुयुः। गयाशिरसि यः पिण्डं शमीपत्रप्रमाणतः ।। ४९.

Those dwelling in hell attain heaven, those in heaven gain liberation, when one offers the oblation at Gayāśiras, measured by the śamī leaf.

कन्दमूलफलाद्यैर्वा दद्यात्स्वर्गं नयेत्पितॄन्। पदानि यत्र दृश्यन्ते विष्ण्वादीनां तदग्रतः ।। ४९.

Even with tubers, roots, fruits, and the like, if one gives, he leads his ancestors to heaven; wherever the footprints of Viṣṇu and others are seen, there, in front of them.

श्राद्धं कृत्वा सपिण्डञ्च तेषां लोकान्नयेत्पितॄन्। सर्व्वत्र मुण्डपृष्ठाद्रिः पदैरेभिः सुलक्षितः ।। ४९.

By performing the śrāddha and the sapiṇḍa rites, one leads one's ancestors to their worlds; everywhere, the Muṇḍapṛṣṭha mountain is clearly marked by these steps.

प्रयान्ति पितरः सर्व्वे ब्रह्मलोकमनामयम्। हेत्यसुरस्य यच्छीर्षं गदया तद्द्विधाकृतम् ।। ४९.

All the ancestors proceed to the flawless world of Brahma; the head of the demon Heti was split in two by the mace.

ततः प्रक्षालिता यस्मात्तीर्थं तच्च विमुक्तये। गदालोलमिति ख्यातं सर्व्वेषामुत्तमोत्तमम् ।। ४९.

Therefore, since it was washed there, that sacred place is for liberation; it is renowned as Gadālola, the most excellent of all.

गदालोले महातीर्थे गदाप्रक्षालनाद्धरेः। स्नानं करोमि सिद्ध्यर्थमक्षयं पदमाप्नुयाम् ।। ४९.

At Gadālola, the great sacred place, because of the washing of the mace of Hari, I bathe for the sake of accomplishment, so that I may attain the imperishable state.

पञ्चमेऽह्नि गदालोले स्नात्वा कुर्य्यात्सपिण्डकम्। श्राद्धं पितॄन्ब्रह्मलोकं नयेदात्मानमेव च ।। ४९.

On the fifth day, after bathing at Gadālola, one should perform the sapiṇḍa rite; by the śrāddha, one leads the ancestors and oneself to the world of Brahma.

ब्रह्मप्रकल्पितान्विप्रान् हव्यकव्यादिनार्च्चयेत्। तैस्तुष्टैस्तोषिताः सर्व्वाः पितृभिः सह देवताः ।। ४९.

One should worship the Brāhmaṇas appointed by Brahma with offerings such as havya and kavya; when they are satisfied, all the deities are pleased along with the ancestors.

कृते श्राद्धेऽक्षयवटे अन्नेनैव प्रयत्नतः। पितॄन्नयेद्ब्रह्मलोकमक्षयन्तु सनातनम् ।। ४९.

By performing the śrāddha at Akṣayavaṭa with food, carefully and with effort, one leads the ancestors to the eternal, imperishable world of Brahma.

वटवृक्षसमीपे तु शाकेनाप्युदकेन वा। एकस्मिन्भोजिते विप्रे कोटिर्भवति भोजिता ।। ४९.

Indeed, near the banyan tree, even with vegetables or water, when a single Brāhmaṇa is fed, it is as if a crore are fed.

देयं दानं षोडशकं गयातीर्थपुरोधसे। वस्त्रं गन्धादिभिः पुत्रैः सम्यक्संपूज्य यत्नतः ।। ४९.

One should give sixteen gifts to the priest of the Gayā tīrtha, and, after duly honoring him with cloth, fragrance, and the like, by one's sons and with care.

गयातीर्थवटे चैव पितॄणां दत्तमक्षयम् । दृष्ट्वा नत्वा च संपूज्य वटेशं सुसमाहितः ।। ४९.

At the banyan tree of the Gayā tīrtha, the offering made to the ancestors is imperishable; having seen, bowed, and worshipped the Lord of the Banyan with full concentration.

पितॄन्नयेद्ब्रह्मलोकमक्षयन्तु सनातनम्। गयायां धर्म्मपृष्ठे च सरसि ब्रह्मणस्त था ।। ४९.

One leads the ancestors to the eternal, imperishable world of Brahma; so also at Dharmapṛṣṭha in Gayā, and at the lake of Brahma.

गयाशीर्षे वटे चैव पितॄणां दत्तमक्षयम्। एकार्णवे वटस्याग्रे यः शेते योगनिद्रया ।। ४९.

At the head of Gayā and at the banyan tree, the offering to the ancestors is imperishable; before the banyan on the single ocean, he who lies in yogic sleep—

बालरूपधरस्तस्मै नमस्ते योगशायिने। संसारवृक्षशस्त्रायाशेषपापहराय च ।। ४९.

To him who assumes the form of a child, who reclines in yogic rest, I bow; to the remover of all sins, the refuge from the sword of the tree of worldly existence.

अक्षयब्रह्मदात्रे च नमोऽक्षयवटाय वै। कलौ माहेश्वरा लोका येन तस्माद्गदाधरः। लिङ्गरूपोऽभवत्तञ्च वन्दे श्रीप्रपितामहम् ।। ४९.

Homage to the giver of imperishable Brahman, to the truly imperishable banyan; in the Kali age, the worlds of Maheśvara, by whom the mace-bearer became the form of the liṅga—him, the glorious forefather, I revere.

यज्ञञ्चक्रे गयो राजा बह्वन्नं बहुदक्षिणम्। यत्र द्रव्यसमूहानां संख्या कर्त्तुं न शक्यते ।। ५०.

King Gaya performed a sacrifice, abundant in food and rich in gifts, where the quantity of assembled materials could not be counted.

स्थिता गयायामन्नादिपर्व्वताः पञ्चविंशतिः। प्रशंसन्ति द्विजास्तत्र देशे देशे सुपूजिताः ।। ५०.

Twenty-five mountains of food and the like stood at Gayā; the twice-born there praise them, honored in every region.

नैव पूर्व्वं केप्यकुर्व्वन्न करिष्यन्ति चापरे। सिकता वा यथा लोके यथा च दिवि तारकाः ।। ५०.

Never before did anyone perform such a rite, nor will others do so; as countless as sand on earth or stars in the sky.

तथा बहुसुवर्णाद्यैरसङ्ख्यातास्तु दक्षिणाः । नैवेह पूर्वे ये केचिन्न करिष्यन्ति चापरे ।। ५०.

Thus, with much gold and other gifts, the donations were innumerable; neither those before nor those after could do the same here.

प्रशंसन्ति द्विजास्तृप्ता देशे देशे सुपूजिताः। गयं विष्ण्वादयस्तुष्टा वरं ब्रूहीति चाब्रुवन् ।। ५०.

The satisfied twice-born, honored in every place, praised him; and Viṣṇu and the others, pleased at Gayā, said, 'Ask for a boon.'

गयस्तान्प्रार्थयामास ह्यभिशप्ताश्च चे पुरा। ब्रह्मणा ते द्विजाः पूता भवन्तु क्रतुपूजिताः ।। ५०.

Gayā requested them, for those Brāhmaṇas had once been cursed; by Brahmā they were purified, being worshipped through sacrifices.

गयाश्राद्धविधानाय द्विजा मूर्त्ताश्चदुर्द्दश। तेषां वाक्यं प्रकुर्व्वीत यदि ब्रह्मा स्वयं भवेत् ।। ५०.

For the rite of ancestral offering at Gayā, the Brāhmaṇas and the embodied ones, though in a difficult state, their words should be followed, even if Brahmā himself were present.

गौतमं काश्यपं कौत्सं कौशिकं कण्वमेव च। भारद्वाजं ह्यौशनसं वात्स्यं पाराशरं तथा ।। ५०.

Gautama, Kāśyapa, Kautsa, Kauśika, and also Kaṇva; Bhāradvāja, Auśanasa, Vātsyā, and likewise Pārāśara—

हरित्कुमारमाण्डव्यं लोकाक्षिं लोकसंमहत्। वासिष्ठञ्च तथात्रेयं गोत्राण्येषां चतुर्द्दश ।। ५०.

Haritkumāra, Māṇḍavya, Lokākṣi, Lokasaṃmahat, Vāsiṣṭha, and also Atri—these are their fourteen lineages.

गयापुरीति मन्नाम्ना ख्याता ब्रह्म पुरी यथा। एवमस्तु वरं दत्त्वा तथा चान्तर्दधुः सुराः ।। ५०.

The city is known by my name as Gayāpurī, just as Brahmā's city is renowned; thus, granting the boon, the gods disappeared.