Vayu Purana

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.

प्रेतः कश्चिद्विमुक्त्यर्थं वणिजं कञ्चिदब्रवीत्। मम नाम्ना गयाशीर्षे पिण्डनिर्व्वापणं कुरु ।। ५०.

A certain departed spirit, desiring liberation, spoke to a merchant: 'In my name, perform the offering of piṇḍa at Gayāśīrṣa.'

प्रेतभावविमुक्त्यर्थं त्वं गृहाण धनं मम। तद्वनं सर्व्वमादाय गयाश्राद्धव्ययं कुरु ।। ५०.

'For the sake of release from the state of a departed spirit, take my wealth; taking all that forest, use it for the expenses of the Gayā offering.'

षोडशपञ्चभागांश्च तुभ्यं वै दत्तवानहम्। स्वनामानि यथान्यायं सम्यगाख्यातवानहम् ।। ५०.

I have given you sixteen and five portions, and have properly declared their names to you, as is fitting.

गत्वा गयां गयाशीर्ष प्रेतराजाय पिण्डकम्। समदाद्बन्धुभिः सार्द्धं स्वपितृभ्यस्ततो ददौ ।। ५०.

Having gone to Gayā, to Gayāśīrṣa, he offered the rice-ball to the King of the Dead, and then, together with his relatives, gave it to his own ancestors.

प्रेतः प्रेतत्वनिर्म्मुक्तो वणिक् स्वगृहमागतः । एवं गयस्य शम्भोश्च क्षेत्रं विष्णो रवेस्तथा ।। ५०.

Freed from the state of a ghost, the merchant returned to his own house; thus is the field of Gayā, of Śambhu, of Viṣṇu, and likewise of the Sun.

उपोषितोऽथ गायत्रीतीर्थे महानदीस्थिते। गायत्र्याः पुरतः स्नात्वा प्रातःसन्ध्यामुपासयेत् ।। ५०.

Having fasted, then, at the Gayatrī ford, situated on the great river, one should bathe before Gayatrī and worship the morning twilight.

श्राद्धं सपिण्डकं कृत्वानयेद्ब्रह्मण्यतां कुलम्। तीर्थे समुदिते स्नात्वा सावित्र्याः पुरतो नरः ।। ५०.

Having performed the śrāddha with rice-balls, he leads his family to brahminhood; having bathed at the sacred ford, a man should stand before Sāvitrī.

सन्ध्यामुपास्य मध्याह्ने नयेत्कुलशतन्दिवम्। पिण्डदानं ततः कुर्य्यात्पितॄणां मुक्तिकाम्यया ।। ५०.

Having worshipped the twilight at midday, he should lead his family for a hundred days; then, desiring the liberation of the ancestors, he should offer the rice-balls.

प्राचीसरस्वतीतीर्थे स्नात्वा चापि यथाविधि। सन्ध्यामुपास्य सायाह्ने विष्णुलोकं नयेत्पितॄन् ।। ५०.

Having bathed at the eastern Sarasvatī ford, as prescribed, and worshipped the twilight in the evening, he leads his ancestors to Viṣṇu's world.

बहुजन्मकृतात्सन्ध्यालोपान्मुक्तस्त्रिसन्ध्य कृत्। विशालायां लेलिहाने तीर्थे च भरताश्रमे ।। ५०.

Freed from the fault of neglecting the twilight rites over many births, one who performs the three twilights at Viśālā, at the licking ford, and at the hermitage of Bharata—