Vayu Purana

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—

पादाङ्किते मुण्डपृष्ठे गदाधरसमीपतः। तीर्थे चाकाशगङ्गायां गिरिकर्णमुखेषु च ।। ५०.

At the foot-marked, on the back of Muṇḍa, near Gadādhara, at the ford of the sky-Gaṅgā, and at the mouths of the mountain caves—

स्नातोऽथ पिण्डदो ब्रह्मलोकं कुलशतं नयेत्। देवनद्यां वैतरण्यां स्नातः स्वर्गं नयेत्पितॄन् ।। ५०.

Having bathed and given rice-balls, he leads a hundred families to Brahmā's world; having bathed in the divine river Vaitaraṇī, he leads his ancestors to heaven.

स्नातो गोदो वैतरण्यां त्रिःसप्तकुलमुद्धरेत्। सत्यं सत्यं पुनः सत्यं वैतरण्यां तु नारद ।। ५०.

Having bathed and given a cow in the Vaitaraṇī, he uplifts three times seven families; truly, truly, again truly, O Nārada, in the Vaitaraṇī.

एकविंशतिकुलान्याहुस्तारयेन्नात्र संशयः। या सा वैतरणी नाम नदी त्रैलोक्यविश्रुता ।। ५०.

They say he uplifts twenty-one families—there is no doubt of this—by that river named Vaitaraṇī, renowned throughout the three worlds.

सावतीर्णा गयाक्षेत्रे पितॄणां तरणाय वै। गोदावर्य्यां वैतरण्यां यमुनायां तथैव च ।। ५०.

That river, descended in the field of Gayā for the crossing over of ancestors, is likewise in the Godāvarī, in the Vaitaraṇī, and in the Yamunā.

देवनद्यां गोप्रचारे श्राद्धदः स्वर्नयेत्पितॄन्। पुष्करिण्यां घृतकुल्यां मधुकुल्यां तथैव च ।। ५०.

In the divine river, in the cow-pasture, one who gives śrāddha leads his ancestors to heaven; in the Puṣkariṇī, in the Ghṛtakulyā, and likewise in the Madhukulyā.

कोटितीर्थे रुक्मिणीये पिण्डदः स्वर्नयेत्पितॄन्। त्रिरात्रोपोषणेनैव तीर्थाभिगमनेन च ।। ५०.

At the Koṭi ford, at Rukmiṇī's place, one who gives rice-balls leads his ancestors to heaven; by fasting for three nights and by visiting the fords.

अदत्त्वा काञ्चनङ्गाश्च दरिद्रो जायते नरः। घृतकुल्या मधुकुल्या देविका च महानदी ।। ५०.

Without giving golden-limbed cows, a man becomes poor; at Ghṛtakulyā, Madhukulyā, Devikā, and the great river.

शिलायाः सङ्गमो यत्र मधुस्रवा प्रकीर्तिता। अयुतं चाश्वमेधानां स्नानकृल्लभते नरः ।। ५०.

Where the confluence of the stones is, called the honey-flowing, a man who bathes there obtains the fruit of ten thousand horse-sacrifices.

श्राद्धं सपिण्डकं कृत्वा पिण्डदानं तथैव च। कुलानां शतमुद्धृत्य विष्णुलोकं नयेन्नरः ।। ५०.

Having performed the śrāddha with rice-balls and likewise the offering of rice-balls, a man, having uplifted a hundred families, leads them to Viṣṇu's world.

दशाश्च मेधिके हंसतीर्थे चामरकङ्कटे। कोटितीर्थे रुक्मकुण्डे पिण्डदः स्वर्नयेत्पितॄन् ।। ५०.

And at Medhika, Hamsa-tirtha, Amara-kankata, Kotitirtha, and Rukma-kunda—one who offers pindas there causes his ancestors to ascend to heaven.

वैतरण्यां घृतकुल्यां मधुकुल्यां तथैव च। कोटितीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा दृष्ट्वा कोटीश्वरञ्च यः ।। ५०.

At the Vaitarani, Ghritakuli, Madhukuli, and likewise at Kotitirtha—whoever bathes and beholds Kotishvara there—

कोटिजन्म भवेद्विप्रो धनाढ्यो वेदपारगः । मार्कण्डेयेशकोचीशौ नत्वा स्यात्पितृतारकः ।। ५०.

A brahmin is born a hundred million times, wealthy and learned in the Vedas; having bowed to Markandeya and Kocisha, he becomes a savior of his ancestors.

रुक्म पारिजातवने पार्व्वत्या सह शङ्करः। रहस्ये संस्थितो रेमे युगानामयुतं पुरा ।। ५०.

In the golden Parijata forest, Shiva once dwelt in secret with Parvati, delighting there for ten million ages in times past.

मरीचिः फलपुष्पार्थं पारिजातवनं गतः। दृष्ट्वा शप्तो महेशेन यस्मात्सुखविघातकः ।। ५०.

Marici went to the Parijata forest seeking fruit and flowers; seeing him, Maheshvara cursed him, for he was an obstacle to happiness.

दुःखी भवेति तद्भीतो मरिचिस्तुष्टुवे शिवम्। तुष्टः प्रोवाच तं शम्भुर्वृणीष्व वरमुत्तमम् ।। ५०.

Frightened by this, Marici, who was told 'Become miserable,' praised Shiva; pleased, Shambhu said to him, 'Choose your highest boon.'

शापाद् भवतु मुक्तिर्म्मे मरीचिः प्राह शङ्करम्। भवेद्गयायां मुक्तिस्ते शिवोक्तः प्रययौ गयाम् ।। ५०.

Marici said to Shankara, 'Let there be release from the curse for me.' Shiva replied, 'You will gain liberation at Gaya,' and so he went to Gaya.

शिलास्थितस्तपस्तेपे सर्व्वेषां दुष्करञ्च यत्। मरीचिरीश्वराच्छप्तः कृष्णत्वमगमत्पुरा ।। ५०.

Standing upon a stone, Marici performed severe austerities, the most difficult of all; cursed by Ishvara, he had previously become dark in color.

तपसा दारुणेनेह स विप्रः शुक्लतां गतः । हरिरूचे मरीचिञ्च वरं वृणुहि पुत्रक ।। ५०.

By means of harsh austerity, that sage regained a fair complexion; Hari said to Marici, 'Choose a boon, my child.'

किमलभ्यं त्वयि तुष्टे मरीचिः प्राह माधवम्। हरशापाद्विमुक्तोऽहं शिला भवतु पावनी ।। ५०.

Marici replied to Madhava, 'What is unattainable when you are pleased? Freed from Hara's curse, may this stone become purifying.'