47 - On Sins and Vaitarani

Garuda said: 

1. O lord of gods, please tell me the mode of gifts, their glory and greatness and the magnitude of Vaitarani1.

1. Vaitarani-a river in the way to hell, full of pus, blood, flesh and abounding in worms, etc. which the dead have to cross before they reach the city of Yama. If a person has donated the Vaitarani cow at the time of his death, the river assumes a pleasant sight for him to cross over But if he has pot, it flows with pus, etc. making it very unpleasant for him to wade through.

The lord said: 

2. Listen to the magnitude of the dreadful Vaitarani, the mighty river at the threshold of Yama's city. 

3. That river is hundred yojanas wide. It is impassable and foul-smelling. To the sinner it is terrifying even at the very first sight. 

4. It is full of putrid blood with sediments and marshy deposits of flesh. On seeing a sinner it assumes the form of melted ghi in a vessel. It abounds in worms and flesh brought by vultures.

5. It is full of crocodiles, fishes with adamantine blade like tails. It abounds in aquatic creatures capable of piercing through the flesh. 

6. There blaze as many as twelve suns as it were the time of Deluge. The sinful people groan aloud and fall into it. 

7. “Alas brother, alas son, alas mother”, they shout frequently. They try to swim about but sink in it. 

8. It is incumbent on all mortals to witness the mighty river. Persons who had made gifts in their life-time can cross it easily, otherwise they sink into it. 

9. Those who have slighted their mothers, preceptors or priests can stay there permanently. 

10. So also those who forsake their chaste, virtuous and noble wives without any fault. 

11. Those who deceive their credulous masters, friends and sages, women, children, cripples and others get submerged in the putrid slough and groan there painfully.1

1. Contrast with note 1, p. 931, where priesthood and idol-worship are held in derison.

12. One who attacks a hungry brahmin or reproaches him is eaten up by worms so long as this world lasts. 

13-15. One who promises a brahmin to give him a sum but does not give, one who defiles a sacrifice, one who rapes a noble woman, one who slanders others, one who interrupts religious discourses, one who is guilty of perjury, one who is a wine-addict or one who invites brahmins but refuses to feed them-these stay there permanently. 

16-18. One who acts as an incendiary, one who poisons others, one who seizes what is given, one who destroys fields and breaks bunds, one who defiles other men's wives or being a brahmin sells wine or marries a slave girl, one who harasses cattle oppressed by thirst, one who outrages the modesty of a virgin, one who terrorises persons worthy of receiving gifts, a shudra drinking the milk of a brown cow, a brahmin eating meat-these stay there permanently. 

19-20. A miser, an atheist, a worthless wretch, a person extremely furious and irritated, a person who considers his own words authoritative, a person who contradicts what others say, haughty egotist, a swaggerer, an ungrateful, treacherous fellow-all these persons stay at Vaitarani for an indefinite period. 

21. O son of Kashyapa, if one is fortunate to cross it, it is due to these reasons which are favourable. To these you will listen now. 

22-23. In the equinoxes, in the holy Vyatipata, at the end of a day, during eclipses, during the transit of the sun to a different zodiacal sign, on the new moon day and other auspicious occasions if a thing is gifted to a brahmin it is laudable. Whenever gifts are made with faith the riches become everlasting. 

24. Bodies are perishable, riches are transitory, death is ever present. Hence, virtue should be accumulated. 

25-29. The gift of Vaitarani cow should be made as. follows. 

The colour of the cow should be either black or tawny. Its horns should be covered in gold, its hoofs in silver. A copper vessel should be given representing the milking vessel. Two black clothes should adorn the cow. Seven kinds of grains should be kept in vessels for gift. A golden idol of Yama should he made with a copper rod in hand. A canoe should be made with sugarcane. The cow should be brought over that raft. It should be meditated as born out of the sun. An umbrella, a pair of sandals, a ring and a pair of clothes should be gifted to a brahmin. Holding the kusha grass and water in the hand the person should recite the following mantra: 

30-32. “I have heard that there is a river Vaitarani at Yama's abode. I wish to cross it. Hence, I give you this symbolic Vaitarani cow. O brahmin, in the form of Vishnu, thou sanctifiest the cow, thou art a god on earth. This Vaitarani cow is given to thee along with dakshina. May cows stand in front of me. May cows stand at my back. May cows abide in my heart. I stay in the midst of cows." 

33. The person circumambulates the idol of Yama and the Vaitarani cow and gives it to the brahmin. 

34-35. The brahmin stands in front while the house-holder holds the tail of the cow saying: "O cow, you wait for me at the terrific threshold of Yama for lifting me up. Obeisance to Vaitarani, Obeisance. Thereafter, he follows the brahmin with the articles of gift to his house. 

36. O son of Vinata, by making gifts, the river becomes easy to cross and the gift-maker obtains all that he wishes to possess. 

37. As a result of his noble actions one obtains pleasure here and hereafter. Its efficacy is increased a thousandfold if a healthy man makes this gift. If a sick man makes the gift its efficacy is only a hundredfold. 

38. If a thing is gifted on behalf of the dead by his son or descendent, the gift is indirect and its efficacy is rendered normal. Hence, gifts should be made by one's own self. After death who will care to gift for him? 

39-40. The life of a person devoid of gifts and virtue is pitiable. Then why not achieve a permanent fruit with the help of perishable body? Vital airs are only guests and they go away for certain sooner or later. 

41. O lord of birds, thus I have told you all about the delusion of living beings. The rites of obsequies are performed, for the redemption of the dead. If men understand this auspicious advice it bestows benefit on them. 

42-43. O brahmins, this is what the omnipotent Vishnu has ordained Garuda was delighted on hearing the details of the dead. He asked the lord again about various rites and holy centres after meditating on the lord who is the cause of all causes. 

44. O sages, these details on the origin of creatures which I have mentioned to you are conducive to salvation, as also the rites of obsequies. I shall now mention the great panacea for the removal of ills and sufferings of this mortal world. 

45. Profit is theirs; success is theirs whose heart is set on Vishnu whose body has the hue of a blue lotus. How can there be a failure in store for those persons? 

46. Dharma wins, not adharma; truth wins not false-hood; forgiveness wins not anger; Vishnu wins not demons. 

 47. Vishnu is mother, Vishnu is father, Vishnu is kin. No mishap accrues to those whose heart is set on Vishnu. 

48. Auspicious is lord Vishnu. Auspicious is the lord who has Garuda for his banner. Auspicious is the lord whose eyes resemble the blue lotus. The lord is the store-house of auspiciousness. 

49. Meditation on lord Vishnu, worship of the holy river Ganga and the Brahmins the three constitute the quintessence of merit in the three worlds. 

50. On drinking the nectar in the form of hearing the lord's sermon breathing the essence of all shastras, through the mouth of Suta, the sage Shaunaka and others were highly satisfied. 

51. They lauded Suta, well-versed in the brahmanical scriptures and were highly delighted on hearing the Puranic 

lore. 

52. A person achieves purity externally as well as internally if he meditates on the lotus-eyed Vishnu, no matter in whatever state, pure or impure he may be passing through.