Viśāla and Gayā Piṇḍa-Dāna
This narrative from the Garuḍa Mahā Purāṇa is about Viśāla, a vaṇija (merchant). Near Gayā kshetra (the holy region of Gayā), a preta (a spirit of the departed who has not found peace) asked him for help. Viśāla did piṇḍa-dāna (the offering of rice balls to the ancestors) at Gayāśīrsha for the preta. This freed the preta and his own ancestors, and led to his own liberation across several lives. The Garuḍa Mahā Purāṇa tells it to show the great power of śrāddha (the rite for the departed) at Gayā.
The preta’s request
One day, near the Gayā kshetra, a preta appeared before Viśāla the merchant and said:
“O vaṇija! I am trapped in this preta-yoni. Go to the Gayāśīrsha tīrtha and perform piṇḍa-dāna in my name. I shall be freed from this preta yoni. In return, the puṇya of this act shall bring you svarga.”
The preta said that he was trapped in the preta-yoni (the birth of a preta). He asked Viśāla to go to the Gayāśīrsha tīrtha (holy place) and offer piṇḍa-dāna in his name. He promised that the puṇya (merit) of the act would bring Viśāla to svarga (heaven). Viśāla agreed and performed the piṇḍa-dāna at Gayāśīrsha in the preta’s name.
Liberation of the ancestors
Viśāla then made a full pilgrimage of the whole Gayā kshetra with his brothers. At the proper tīrthas he offered piṇḍa-dāna for all his own pitṛs (ancestors). All his ancestors, and the preta as well, were set free.
The vision in the sky
Viśāla went back to his village. He lived a prosperous life, was blessed with sons, and died peacefully. He went to svarga. In his next birth he was born as a rāja-putra (prince) in the Viśāla kingdom. When he grew up he asked the brāhmaṇas of his court: “What good actions bring putra-santāna (children), good health, and a joyful life?” They answered: “O Viśāla prince! Piṇḍa-dāna at Gayā tīrtha fulfils all desires.”
He went to Gayā at once, performed complete piṇḍa-dāna for all his ancestors, and came back. Soon he was blessed with sons.
One day three shining beings appeared in the sky before him. He bowed to them and asked: “Who are you, O great ones?” The one with the white complexion spoke:
“Child Viśāla! I am your father. Through your puṇya I am going to svarga. This red-complexioned one is my father — he committed brahma-hatyā and fell into the Avīci naraka. That dark-complexioned one is my grandfather — he too murdered a mahārshi and fell into the same naraka. Through the piṇḍa-dāna you performed at Gayāśīrsha, I have been freed from the preta-form, and they have been freed from the naraka. We go now to svarga. May you be blessed.”
The father said that Viśāla’s puṇya was taking him to svarga. He said that the red-complexioned one was his own father, who had committed brahma-hatyā (the killing of a brāhmaṇa) and fallen into the Avīci naraka (hell). The dark-complexioned one was his grandfather, who had also killed a mahārshi (great ṛshi) and fallen into the same naraka. Through the piṇḍa-dāna at Gayāśīrsha, the father was freed from the preta-form and the other two were freed from naraka. With this, all three rose to svarga.
The end of Viśāla’s life
Viśāla went on to rule his kingdom with righteousness. He lived in happiness, and at his death he reached svarga.
Viśāla in other Purāṇas
In the Garuḍa Purāṇa, Viśāla is a vaṇija, a trader. The Varāha Purāṇa and the Nārada Purāṇa describe a Viśāla who is a king (rāja).
Sources
- Garuḍa Mahā Purāṇa, Āchāra Khaṇḍa, Chapters 83–84 (Adhyāyas 83–84)
- Varāha Purāṇa and Nārada Purāṇa (named for Viśāla as a king)