Vayu Purana

यत्र दत्तं पितृभ्यस्तु भवत्यक्षयमित्युत। तत्र स्नातो दिवं याति स्वशरीरेण मानवः ।। ५०.

Whatever is given there to the ancestors truly becomes inexhaustible; one who bathes there ascends to heaven in his own body.

पाप्मानं प्रजहात्येष जीर्णत्वचमिवोरगः। तत्पङ्गजवनं पुण्यं पुण्यकृद्भिर्निषेवितम् ।। ५०.

He casts off sin there, just as a serpent sheds its old skin; that Parijata forest is holy, frequented by the righteous.

पाण्डुशिला वै तत्रास्ते श्राद्धं यत्राक्षयं भवेत्। युधिष्ठिरस्तु तस्यां हि श्राद्धं कर्त्तुं ययौ मुने ।। ५०.

There stands the Pandu stone, where the sraddha offering becomes inexhaustible; Yudhishthira went there, O sage, to perform the sraddha.

तत्र काले पाण्डुनोक्तं मद्धस्ते देहि पिण्डकम्। हस्तं त्यक्त्वा शिलायाञ्च पिण्डदानञ्चकार सः ।। ५०.

At that time, Pandu said, 'Place the pinda in my hand.' Abandoning the hand, he performed the pinda offering on the stone.

शिलायां पिण्डदानेन प्रहृष्टो व्यासनन्दनः। वरं ददौ स्वपुत्राय राज्यं कुरु महीतले ।। ५०.

By offering the pinda on the stone, Vyasa's son was delighted; he granted his own son the boon of ruling the earth.

अकण्टकन्तु सम्पूर्णं त्वं मे त्राता हि पुत्रक। स्वर्गं व्रज शरीरेण भ्रातृभिः परिवारितः ।। ५०.

'May you protect my son, making his reign complete and free of thorns; go to heaven in your body, surrounded by your brothers.'

दृष्टिमात्रेण सम्पूतान्नरकस्थान्दिवं नय। इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ पाण्डुः शाश्वतं पदमव्ययम् ।। ५०.

'By a mere glance, purify those in hell and lead them to heaven.' Having said this, Pandu departed to the eternal, imperishable abode.

उद्भिज्जाः स्वेदजा वापि ह्यण्डजा ये जरायुजाः। मधुस्रवां समासाद्य मृताः स्वर्गपुरं ययुः ।। ५०.

Beings born from moisture, from sweat, from eggs, or from wombs—having obtained the honey-flow, even if dead, have gone to the city of heaven.

दशाश्वमेधिके हंसतीर्थे श्राद्धाद्दिवं व्रजेत्। दशाश्वमेधहंसौ च नत्वा शिवपुरं व्रजेत् ।। ५०.

By performing śrāddha at the Hamsa Tirtha, which is equal to ten Ashvamedha sacrifices, one attains heaven; and by bowing to the ten Ashvamedha Hamsas, one attains the city of Shiva.

भरतस्याश्रमे श्राद्धान्नयेद्ब्रह्मालयं पितॄन्। मतङ्गस्य पदे श्राद्धी ब्रह्मलोकं नयेत्पितॄन् ।। ५०.

By offering śrāddha at the hermitage of Bharata, one leads the ancestors to the abode of Brahma; by performing śrāddha at the place of Matanga, one leads the ancestors to the world of Brahma.

निर्म्मथ्याग्निं शमीगर्भे विधिर्विष्ण्वादिभिः सह। लेभे तीर्थन्तु यज्ञार्थं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् ।। ५०.

Having churned fire within the Sami tree, the rite was performed together with Vishnu and others; that tirtha, renowned in the three worlds, was obtained for the sake of sacrifice.

मखसंज्ञन्तु तत्तीर्थं पितॄणां मुक्ति दायकम्। स्नात्वा च तर्पणं कृत्वा पिण्डदो मुक्तिमाप्नुयात् ।। ५०.

That tirtha, called Makha, grants liberation to the ancestors; by bathing and offering libations and pinda there, the giver of pinda attains liberation.

पितॄन्स्वर्गं नयेन्नत्वा सङ्गमेऽङ्गारकेश्वरौ। गयाकूटे पिण्डदानादश्वमेधफलं लभेत् ।। ५०.

By bowing at the confluence to Angaraka and Ishvara, one leads the ancestors to heaven; by offering pinda at the summit of Gaya, one obtains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice.

भस्मकूटे भस्मनाथं नत्वा च तारयेत्पितॄन् । त्यक्तपापो भवेन्मुक्तः सङ्गमे स्नानमाचरेत् ।। ५०.

By bowing to Bhasmanatha at Bhasmakuta, one saves the ancestors; becoming free from sin and liberated, one should bathe at the confluence.

इष्टिं चक्रेऽश्वमेधाख्यं वसिष्ठो मुनिसत्तमः। इष्टितो निर्गतः शम्भुर्वरं वृणु वसिष्ठकम् ।। ५०.

The eminent sage Vasishtha performed a sacrifice called Ashvamedha; from that sacrifice, Shambhu appeared and said, 'Choose a boon, O Vasishtha.'

प्राहेति तं वसिष्ठोऽपि शिव तुष्ठोऽसि मे यदि। वस्तव्यं चात्र देवेश तथेत्युक्त्वा शिवः स्थितः ।। ५०.

Vasishtha replied, 'If you are pleased with me, O Lord of the gods, then you must reside here.' Shiva, saying 'So be it,' remained there.

पिण्डदो धेनुकारण्ये कामधेनुपदेषु च। स्नात्वा नत्वाथ सम्पूज्य ब्रह्मलोकं नयेत्पितॄन् ।। ५०.

By giving pinda in the Dhenuka forest and at the places of Kamadhenu, after bathing, bowing, and duly worshipping, one leads the ancestors to the world of Brahma.

कर्द्दमाले गयानाभौ मुण्डपृष्ठसमीपतः। स्नात्वा श्राद्धादिकं कृत्वा पितॄणामनृणो भवेत् ।। ५०.

At Kardama Lake, at the navel of Gaya, and near Mundapristha, by bathing and performing śrāddha and related rites, one becomes free from debt to the ancestors.

फल्गुचण्डीश्मशानाक्षीमङ्गलाद्याः समर्च्चयेत्। गयायाञ्च वृषोत्सर्गात्रिः सप्तकुलमुद्धरेत् ।। ५०.

One should worship Phalgu, Chandi, Smashana, Akshi, Mangala, and others; and by releasing a bull at Gaya, one uplifts seven generations of one's family.

यत्र तत्र स्थिता देवा ऋषयोऽपि जितेन्द्रियाः । आद्यं गदाधरं ध्यायञ्छ्राद्धपिण्डादिदानतः ।। ५०.

Wherever the gods and the self-restrained sages reside, by meditating on the primordial wielder of the mace and by giving śrāddha and pinda, one attains merit.

कुलानां शतमुद्धृत्य ब्रह्मलोकं नयेत् पितॄन्। गया गयो गया दित्यो गायत्री च गदाधरः ।। ५०.

By uplifting a hundred families, one leads the ancestors to the world of Brahma; Gaya, Gaya, Gayaditya, Gayatri, and the wielder of the mace are all mentioned.

गया गयासुरश्चैव षङ्गया मुक्तिदायकाः। गयाख्यानमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेत्सततं नरः ।। ५०.

Gaya, Gayasura, and the six Gayas are givers of liberation; whoever continually recites this sacred account of Gaya, O man—

श्रृणुयाच्छ्रद्धया यस्तु स याति परमां गतिम्। पाठयेद्वा गयाख्यानं विप्रेभ्यः पुण्यकृन्नरः ।। ५०.

Whoever listens to it with faith attains the highest state; or whoever recites the account of Gaya to the Brahmins, that meritorious man—

गयाश्राद्धं कृतं तेन कृतं तेन सुनिश्चितम्। गयाया महिमानञ्च ह्यभ्यसेद्यः समाहितः ।। ५०.

For him, the Gaya śrāddha is considered as performed, certainly performed; and whoever studies the greatness of Gaya with concentration—

तेनेष्टं राजसूयेन अश्वमेधेन नारद। लिखेद्वा लेखयेद्वापि पूजयेद्वापि पुस्तकम् ।। ५०.

For him, it is as if he has performed the Rajasuya and Ashvamedha sacrifices, O Narada; or if he writes or has written, or worships this book.

तस्य गेहे स्थिरा लक्ष्मीः सुप्रसन्ना भविष्यति। उपाख्यानमिदं पुण्यं गृहे तिष्ठति पुस्तकम् ।। ५०.

In his house, enduring fortune, most auspicious, will abide; if this sacred tale is kept as a book in the home.

सर्पाग्निचौरजनितं भयं तत्र न विद्यते। श्राद्धकाले पठेद्यस्तु गयामाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ।। ५०.

There, no fear arises from snakes, fire, or thieves; whoever recites this supreme glory of Gayā at the time of ancestral rites—

विधिहीनन्तु तत्सर्वं पितॄणान्तु गयासमम्। यानि तीर्थानि त्रैलोक्ये तानि दृष्टानि तत्र वै। येन ज्ञातं गयाख्यानं श्रुतं वा पठितं मुने ।। ५०.

Even if performed without proper rites, all offerings to the ancestors there are equal to those at Gayā; all the holy places in the three worlds are seen there, by one who knows, hears, or recites the story of Gayā, O sage.

सनत्कुमारो मुनिपुङ्गवाय पुण्यां कथाञ्चाथ निवेद्य भक्त्या। स्वमाश्रमं पुण्यवनैरुपेतं विसृज्य संगीतगुरुं जगाम ।। ५०.

Sanatkumāra, having devotedly conveyed this sacred story to the foremost sage, departed for his own hermitage, surrounded by blessed groves, after taking leave of his revered teacher.