83 - Greatness of Gaya

Brahmd said: 

1. In the land of Kikata, Gaya is a great holy place: the forest of Rajagruha and the places frequently watered by the river are very holy. 

2-3. To the east of Gaya is the place Mundaprushtha. In the west, south and north it extends to 41 kilometres. The whole expanse of Gayakshetra is 15 kilometres. The gift of oblations to the manes satiates as well as grants salvation. Even a visit to this place frees a person from the obligation to the manes. The Gayashiras (the head of Gaya) is three kilometres long. 

4. From the mount Janardana and the well-known manasa is Gayashiras. It is called Phalgu-tirtha. 

5. By offering pinda there, the manes are freed. Simply by going to Gaya one is freed of mane's debt. 

6. The lord of lords Vishnu presides over Gaya in the form of Manes. By visiting his shrine, one is freed of three debts (to gods, manes, sages and guests). 

7. Seeing the main highway at Gaya and visiting the shrines of Rudra, Kaleshvara and Kedara a man becomes free from the debts to the manes. 

8. By visiting the shrine of Brahma one becomes free from all sins. By seeing the Prapitamaha (the primordial deity) one attains region free of sickness. 

9. After kneeling devoutly before the lord Gadadhara, Madhava and Purushottama, the man is not born again. 

10. O Brahmin Sage (Vyasa)! By visiting silently, the shrines of Maunaditya and Kanakarka the noble, a man becomes free from debts to the manes. By worshipping Brahma, one attains Brahma's world. 

11. Getting up early in the morning if one performs Sandhya and visits the shrine of Gayatri, one gets the fruit of visiting the shrines of all gods. 

12. By visiting the shrine of Savitri in the midday, one gets the fruit of all sacrifices. 

13. By visiting the shrine of Sarasvati in the evening one gets the fruits of charitable gifts. By visiting the shrine of Ishvara on the top of the mountain, one becomes free from debts to the manes. 

14. By visiting lord Dharma in Dharmaranya the material debts are wiped off, Who is not freed from bondage by visiting the shrine of lord Grudhreshvara?

15. By visiting the shrine of Cow in Dhenuvana one enables one's ancestors to attain Brahmaloka. By visiting lord Prabhasesha in the shrine Prabhasa one attains the highest goa). 

16. By visiting the shrines of Kotishvara and Ashvamedha the material debts are wiped off. By visiting the shrine of Svargadvareshvara one is freed from the bondage of worldly existence. 

17. By visiting the lord with the mace in the shrine of Rameshvara one attains to heaven. By visiting the shrine of Brahmeshvara one is freed from the sin of murdering a Brahmin. 

18. By visiting the shrine of Mahachandi in the mountain Mundaprushtha one attains all desires. By visiting the shrines of Phalgvisha, Phalguchandi, Gauri, Mangala, Gomaka and lord Gopati one becomes free from debts to the manes. 

19. Similarly, by visiting the shrines of Angaresha, Siddhesha, Gayaditya, Gaja and Markandeyeshvara one becomes free from debts to the manes. 

20. A ceremonial bath in the holy pond of Phalgutirtha and a visit to the shrine of Gadadhara, 

21. Are these not sufficient for men of meritorious deeds? He makes his ancestors upto the twenty-first remove attain Brahmaloka. 

22. The holy rivers, oceans and lakes of the world will be coming to Phalgutirtha, once every day. 

23. In the whole world, Gaya is the holiest; in Gaya, Gayashiras is the holiest spot and in gayashiras the Phalgutirtha is the holiest since it constitutes the mouth of gods. 

24. To the north of Kanaka river is Nabhitirtha and in its middle is the holy Tirtha called Brahmasadas. A bath there in enables one to attain Brahmaloka. 

25. After offering Pinda (food-balls) etc. in the well one becomes free from indebtedness to the manes. Shraddha at Akshayavata takes ancestors to Brahmaloka. 

26. By taking the ceremonial bath in Hamsatirtha a man becomes free from all sins. A person who performs Shraddha in Kotitirtha, Gayaloka, Vaitarani and in Gomaka takes ancestors upto the twenty first remove to the Brahmaloka. 

27. A person who performs Shraddha in Brahmatirtha, Ramatirtha, Agneyatirtha, Somatirtha or in Ramahrada takes all ancestors to Brahmaloka. 

28. A man who performs Shraddha in the Uttara-Manasa is not born again; and in the Dakshina Manasa takes his ancestors to the Brahmaloka. 

29. A man who performs Tarpana on the top of the hill Bhishma makes the manes cross hell. A person who performs Shraddha in Grudhreshvara becomes free from debts to the manes. 

30. A person who after taking his bath, gifts away gingelly seeds and cows, visits the shrine of cow and performs Shraddha in Dhenukaranya, takes his ancestors to the Brahma loka. 

31. A person who performs Shraddha in the Tirthas Aindra, Nara, Vasava and Vaishnava and also in Mahanadi takes his ancestors to the Brahmaloka. 

32. A person who performs ceremonial bath, Sandhya, Tarpana and Shraddha in the Tirthas Gayatra, Savitra and Sarasvata takes his ancestors upto the hundred and first remove to the Brahmaloka. 

33. With the mind absorbed in contemplating his ancestors the devotee shall pass through the cleft Brahmayoni. Then by performing Tarpana to the manes and gods he will be freed from the pangs of birth (i.e., he will not be born again). 

34. By performing Tarpana in the Tirtha Kakajangha he satiates manes forever. A person who performs Shraddha in the holy pond of Matanga in Dharmaranya attains heaven. 

35. By performing Shraddha, etc. in Dharmayupa and Kupa one becomes free from debts to the manes. 

36. He shall invoke gods by saying "O Gods! ye be the witness unto this. I have performed Shraddha for my ancestors today." 

37. By taking the ceremonial bath in Ramatirtha and performing Shraddha on a rock in Prabhasa, the manes though long departed can be made liberated. 

38. A person who performs Shraddha in the holy Tirtha Svapushta shall uplift his ancestors upto the twenty-fifth remove. A person who performs Shraddha on the hill Mundaprushtha shall lead his ancestors to the Brahmaloka. 

39. There is no spot in Gaya which is not a holy Tirtha. A person who offers Pinda anywhere in Gayakshetra, shall reap everlasting benefit and take his ancestors to Brahmaloka. 

40. The pilgrim shall place the Pinda in the hand of Janardana (the idol) saying 

41. "O Janardana, I have offered the Pinda in thy hand. When I go to the other world let everlasting liberation bless me." 

42. It is certain that he will attain Brahmaloka along with his manes. The oblations offered to the manes in Dharma prushtha, and Brahmasaras, in Gaya and in 

43. Akshayavata in Gayashirsha shall be everlasting. The act of visiting Tirthas, Dharmaranya, Dharmaprushtha and Dhenukaranya, 

44. And performing Arghya to the manes uplifts twenty generations. Brahmaranya is to the west of the river Maya while in the cast are Brahmasadas, Nagadri and Bharatashrama. 

45-47. Shraddha shall be performed in the region of Matanga in the Ashrama of Bharata. There is the holy place called Champakavana to the south of Gayashira and to the west of Mahanadi. There Pandushila is situated. If one performs Shraddha there in the zone of Nishchira on the third day of the lunar fortnight or in the sacred eddy of Kaushiki everlasting benefit is secured. 

48. To the north of Vaitarani is the sacred pond called Trutiya. There the sacred spot Kraunchapada is situated. One who performs Shraddha there shall take his ancestors to the Heaven. 

49. To the north of Kraunchapada is the sacred pond Nishchira. Even a single visit to Gaya, and offering of Pinda once is rarely secured, then what of those who stay there permanently? 

50. If the pilgrim performs Tarpana in Mahanadi for the manes and gods he shall attain everlasting worlds and up-lift his family. 

51. If Sandhya is performed in the Savitratirtha the benefit of performing the same for twelve years shall be acquired. 

52. He who stays for two fortnights the bright and the dark) in Gaya purifies his family upto the seventh generation. There is no doubt in this. 

53. By seeing the three mountains Mundaprushtha, Aravinda and Kraunchapada, the pilgrim is freed from all sins. 

54. When solar or lunar eclipse occurs in the month of Makara (January-February) Pinda shall be offered in Gaya. It bestows rare merits and is highly beneficent to the people. 

55. A Shraddha performed in Mahahrada (great-eddy) of Kaushiki, in Mulakshetra and in the cave of Grudhrakuta is seven times fruitful. 

56. A person who performs Shraddha where the river Maheshvari flows shall be freed from material debts. By visiting the holy river Vishala famous in the three worlds a man obtains the fruits of Agnishtoma sacrifice. By performing Shraddha, he shall go to heaven. 

57. A person who takes bath and performs Shraddha in Somapada shall derive the fruits of Vajapeya sacrifice. 

58. By offering Pindas in Ravipada the fallen souls shall be uplifted. The manes consider themselves blessed with a son if he goes to Gaya and offers food oblations. 

59. Fathers desire for sons in their fear of falling into Hell thinking, "One of them will go to Gaya and uplift us". On seeing the son who has reached Gaya the manes are excessively jubilant. 

60. They will think like this: "Either the son or someone else at some time or other shall offer us water at least by wading through it in Gayakupa.” 

61, A pilgrim takes any one with that name to the eternal Brahman by repeating which he offers the Pinda. A person who visits Kotitirtha shall attain the Vishnuloka called Pundarika. 

62. The river which is renowned in the three worlds as Vaitarani has incarnated in Gayakshetra for the uplift of the manes. 

63. There is no doubt in this that a person who performs Shraddha, offers Pinda and makes a gift of a cow uplifts his ancestors to twenty-one generations. 

64. If a son goes to Gaya sometime (after the death of his father) he shall feed the local brahmins who had been allotted that right by Brahma. 

65. Their post is Brahmasadas. The same is the post of Somapas (drinkers of Soma juice). 

66. The worship, Shraddha, etc. shall be in the place assigned by Brahmi and the Brahmins also shall be those mentioned by Brahma. If they are honoured, honoured shall all the deities be along with the manes. 

67. The pilgrim shall propitiate the Brahmins at Gaya according to Shastraic injunctions by means of Havyas and Kavyas (sacrificial foodstuffs). The best place for shedding the mortal body is Gaya. 

68. There is no doubt in this that he who makes the gift of a bull in Gayakshetra, the unrivalled holy place, derives the merit of a hundred Agnishtomas. 

69. An intelligent man can offer Pinda unto himself as unto others at Gaya but without using gingelly seeds. 

70. O Vyasa, Pindas shall be offered to all at Gaya, whether cousins, ancestors kinsmen or friends in accordance with Shastras. 

71. By taking the ceremonial bath at Ramatirtha a man obtains the benefit of a gift of hundred cows. By taking the bath at Matanga pond he shall get the benefit of the gift of a thousand cows. 

72. By taking the ceremonial bath at the confluence of Nishchira a man takes his ancestors to Brahmaloka; at Vasishtha's hermitage - the benefit of Vajapeya. 

73. And by staying in Mahakoshi for a year he gets the fruit of Ashvamedha (Horse sacrifice). 

74. There is a holy river flowing from Brahmasaras which sanctifies the whole world. It is famous as Agnidhara and is on a par with Kapila (the divine cow that grants all boons). A person performing Shraddha here derives the fruit of Agnishtoma and by taking bath here one feels as if one has fulfilled all tasks. 

75. By performing Shraddha in Kumaradhara one gets the fruit of Ashvamedha. Having reached Lord Subrahmanya he will attain salvation. 

76. By taking the ceremonial bath in Somakunda a man goes to the moon's world. A person giving Pindas in the sacred pond of Samvarta shall be highly lucky. 

77-78. A man offering Pindas in Pretakunda shall wash off all his sins. Those who offer Pindas in the Tirthas, Devanadi, Lelihana, Mathana, Janugartaka and others shall uplift all ancestors. By bowing to lord Vasishthesha all accumulated material debts shall be liquidated.