Vayu Purana

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.

गयश्च भोगान्सम्भुज्य विष्णुलोकं परं ययौ। विशालायां विशालोऽभूद्राजाऽपुत्रो ऽब्रवीद्द्विजान् ।। ५०.

And Gayā, having enjoyed pleasures, went to the supreme abode of Viṣṇu; in Viśālā, Viśāla became king, being sonless, and spoke to the Brāhmaṇas.

कथं पुत्रादयो मे स्युर्विशालं चाब्रुवन्द्विजाः। गयायां पिण्डदानेन तव सर्व्वं भविष्यति ।। ५०.

'How will I have sons?' Viśāla asked the Brāhmaṇas; they replied, 'By offering piṇḍa at Gayā, all will be accomplished for you.'

विशालोऽपि गयाशीर्ष पिण्डदः पुत्रवानभूत्। दृष्ट्वाकाशे सितं रक्तं कृष्णं पुरुषमब्रवीत् ।। ५०.

Viśāla too, by offering piṇḍa at Gayāśīrṣa, obtained sons; seeing in the sky a white, a red, and a black man, he spoke.

के यूयं तेषु चैवैकः सितः प्रोचे विशालकम्। अहं सितस्ते जनक इन्द्रलोकादिहागतः ।। ५०.

'Who are you?' Of them, the white one spoke to Viśāla: 'I am the white one, your ancestor, come here from Indra's world.'

मम पुत्र पिता रक्तो ब्रह्महा पापकृत्तमः । अयं पितामहः कृष्ण ऋषयो येन घातिताः ।। ५०.

'My son is the red one, a slayer of Brāhmaṇas, most sinful; this black one is the grandfather, by whom sages were killed.'

अवीचिनरकं प्राप्तौ मुक्तौ त्वत्पिण्डदानतः। पितॄन्पितामहांश्चैव तथैव प्रपितामहान् ।। ५०.

'They had reached the hell Avīci, but were freed by your offering of piṇḍa; fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers likewise.'

प्रीणयामीति यत्तोयं त्वया दत्तमरिन्दम। तेनास्मद्युगपद्योगो जातो वाक्येन सत्तम ।। ५०.

'By the water you gave, O subduer of foes, we have been satisfied; by your act and your words, supreme one, we have attained union together.'

मुक्तिः कृता त्वया पुत्र व्रजामः स्वर्गमुत्तमम्। एवं पुत्रैः पितॄणां च कर्तव्या मुक्तिरुत्तमा ।। ५०.

'You have granted liberation, O son; we shall go to the highest heaven. Thus, sons must bring about the supreme liberation of their ancestors.'

त्वञ्च राज्यं चिरं कृत्वा भुक्त्वा भोगांश्च दुर्ल्लभान्। यज्ञान्सदक्षिणान्कृत्वा यायाद्विष्णुपुरं ततः ।। ५०.

And you, after ruling the kingdom for a long time and enjoying rare pleasures, performing sacrifices with proper gifts, will then go to Viṣṇu's city.

एवं लब्धवरो राजा राज्यं कृत्वा दिवंगतः। प्रेतराजः सह प्रेतैर्गयाश्राद्धाद्दिवं गतः ।। ५०.

Thus, the king, having obtained the boon, ruled and then went to heaven; the lord of the departed, along with the departed, went to heaven from the Gayā offering.