46 - Importance of offering Pindas (at Gayä)

Vasu said:

1. Henceforth, I shall recount to you the duties on the third day.² They yield both the worldly pleasures as well as salvation. They yield the benefit of contact with Gayä.

* Most of the verses in this chapter are identical with those in the Vayu. 111.32-75.

2. The 3rd day of Pancha-Tirthi        corresponds to the 5th day from entering Gayå.

2-3. After taking bath in the Brahmasaras, the pilgrim should perform Šhräddha along with the Pindas:

“I take my holy bath in this Tirtha for the liberation from the three-fold indebtedness, for conducting Shräddha, for offering Pindas, for the rite of Tarpana and ^for the achievement of wealth.”

He who performs that (the Šrâddha etc.) between the well called ‘Brahmaküpa’ and the sacrificial post (raised by Brahmâ—) ‘Brahma yüpa’ redeems the Pitris.

4. The lofty sacrificial post is that of Brahma. By performing Shräddha at the Brahmasaras, the devotee shall take the Pitris to the world of Brahma.

5. The mango trees near Goprachära were planted by Brahma. Merely by sprinkling them with water (from Brahmasaras), the Pitris will attain salvation.

6. “I water the Mango tree that has grown out of Brahmasaras, that is lordly and containing all the Devas and that is the embodiment of Vishnu, for the sake of salvation of the Pitris.

7. A sage with a pot and the Kušha grass at the tip of his hands pours water at the root of the mango tree. The Mango trees are watered and the Pitris are propitiated. A single action is well reputed as serving two purposes. * A man who performs the Ächamana rite and pours water at the root is not negligible (even) to gods.

*Quoted in the Agni P. 115.40, the Vayu P. 111.37 and Padma Srushti Kanda 11.77.

8. By circumambulating the sacrificial post (of Brahma) one shall attain the benefit of the Vâjapeya sacrifice. By bowing down to Brahmä the devotee takes the Pitris to the city of Brahma.

9. ‘‘Om, Hail to Brahma, who is eternal (unborn) and who is the cause of creation, etc. of the Universe; obeisance, to the redeemer of the devotees and the Pitris.

10-11. With the following Mantra he should offer oblation to Yama, with mental control: ‘‘Yamarâja and Dharamaràja are steadily stationed here. I offer oblation to them for the purpose of liberation of the Pitris.” O Mohinï, he then offers oblation to the dogs with the Mantra mentioned before:

12-13. Thereafter, with self-control, the devotee should offer oblation to the crows repeating the following Mantra:

“May the crows pertaining to Indra, Varuna, Vàyu, Yama and Nirruti accept the ball of rice placed by me on the ground.” Thereafter, he shall take holy dip in the Brahma Tirtha with the Kusha grass (in his hand).

14. Thus completing the observances of the third day the intelligent pilgrim shall bow down to lord Gadädhara and maintain the vow of celibacy.

15. On the fourth day,¹ the devotee should perform the rite of ablution etc., in the Phalgu tirtha. At Gayäšhiras, at various Padas he should perform the Šhräddhas along with the Pindas.²

1.The 4th day of Pañcha-Tïrthï rite falls on the 6th day after entering into Gayä.

2. The Tristhalï Setu, p. 366 states that there is no separate Šhräddha on Gayäshiras apart from that performed on Vishnupäda and other Pädas.

16. The Gayašhiras itself has been made the support of Phalgu tirthä. Gayâšhiras extends from Krauñchapada* to Phalgu Tirtha.

*Vide verse 52 below: Krauñcha-päda is the hill Munda-Prushtha On it a sage assuming the form of a heron performed penance and imprinted his (heron-like) footsteps on it. Hence it is called Krauñcha-päda ( Väyu P. 106.75)

17. (Defective) ** There are mountains etc. in the Gayâšhiras as well as Phalgu Tirtha. It is the face of the demon Gaya. One shall perform the Šhräddha after bathing.

**This verse is a combination of the Väyu P. 111.45a and 44b out of which 17a in the NP (i.e. Vayu 111.45a) is wrongly printed. The original line in the Vãyu is: munda-Prushtha nagådhastat säkshåt tat Phalgu-Tïrthakam| “Below the hill called Munda-Prushtha is verily that Tirtha called Phalgu (the Phalgu river).”

The NPs 17a runs thus: - Gaya-shire nagadyãsheha sakshät tat Phalgu-tïrthakam If nagädyas ca is emended as nagadhaståt the obscurity is lessened.

18. The primordial lord Gadâdhara presiding over the manifest and unmanifest things, has assumed the form of Vishnupâda (and other Pâdas—foot-prints) for the liberation of the Pitris.

19. There is the Vishnu-päda (the footprint of Vishnu). It is divine. By its mere sight the sins arc destroyed. By touching and worshipping, it is conducive to the salvation of the Pitris.

20.By performing Šhrâddha at Vishnupäda along with the offering of the Pindas the man uplifts a thousand members of his own family and takes them to Vishnu’s world.

21. By performing Šhrâddha at Rudrapäda, the man shall take a hundred members of his family to the city of Shiva along with himself. So also (with Šhrâddha etc) at the auspicious Brahmapäda.

22. He who performs Šhrâddha at the shall attain the benefit of a Vâjapeya sacrifice. He who performs Šhräddha at the Gärhapatyapäda shall derive the benefit of a Râjasüya sacrifice.

23. By performing Šhräddha at the Chandrapâda one shall attain the, benefit of a horse-sacrifice. He who performs Šhráddha at the Satyapäda shall attain the benefit of a Jyotishtoma sacrifice.

24. He who performs Šhrâddha at the Ävasathyapâda shall attain the world of Soma (moon). By performing Shräddha at the* Chandrapäda (Indra-pâda?) the devotee shall lead his Pitris to Shakra’s world.

*The Vayu P. reads shakra-Påda in the corresponding verse (111.52)

25. He who performs Šhrâddha at the Pâda of others** shall take Pitris to the region of Brahma. He who performs Šhrâddha at the Süryapada shall take sinners to the city of Arka (sun).

**aryeshåm cha Pade in the NP is obscure. Who are these ‘others’ sacred enough to enable the Pitris to go to Brahmapada? The Vayu P. reads Agastyasya Pade in the corresponding verse (111.53) which line occurs below in verse 26 b in the NP.

26. He who performs Šhrâddha at the Kârttikeyapâda shall take Pitrus to Shiva’s world. By performing the rite of Šhrâddha at the Agastyapàda the devotee takes Pitris to the world of Brahma.

27. The Kâšhyapapäda is the most excellent of all Pâdas. The Pâdas of Vishnu, Rudra and Brahmâ are cited to be the greatest of all.

28. At the beginning or at the conclusion, one of the above Pâdas is recommended. O Mohinï, he who performs Shrâddha therein, will find it conducive to welfare.

29. Formerly, the divine sage Bhâradvâja wanted to perform Šhräddha and offer the Pindas to Pitris and others at the Pâda of Kâšhyapa. * * *

*** This story in the Vayu P. 111.58-63 in identical verse (as in the NP.).

30. Then two hands, one white and the other black, came out piercing through the Pâda. On seeing two hands, Bhâradväja became doubtful about the real father.

31-32a. Then Bhäradväja asked his mother Shäntä “At the Käshyapapäda, O mother, into which hand should I offer the Pinda, the white one or the black one? You know my father, Tell me.”

32b-33. On hearing the words of the intelligent Bharadväja, Šhântä said with her face beaming with pleasure, to the son who was about to offer Šhräddha, “O highly intelligent Bhäradväja give the Pinda to the black one.”

34. Thereupon, Bhâradväja attempted to give the Pinda to the black one. The white one became visible and said: * “O son give it to me. You are my bosom-born (legitimate) son.”

35-37a. The black one said— “You are born of my wife (Kshetraja). Hence give the Pinda unto me.” The white one said. “She is an unchaste woman. Hence, I am your progenitor (you are my bosom-born son). The son born of unchaste woman gave the Pinda first to the Kshetrin (the husband of the mother) and thereafter to the Bïjin (the seed-giver i.e. the progenitor). O highly blessed lady, by devoutly handing over the Pindas, * the excessively intelligent (Bhâradväja) considered himself blessed, thanks to the direct talk (with the Pitris).

*The NP does not clarify to whom Bhåradvåja gave the Pinda. The corresponding verse in the Väyu P. 101.63 states that Bhåradväja offered the Pinda at Käshyapa’s pada and transported his parents to Brahmaloka in an aerial car carried by swans.

37b-38. In the course of his Šhrâddha at Vishnupäda, Bhishma invoked his Pitris after duly performing the Šhräddha; when he attempted to offer the Pindas, the pair of the hands of his father Shantanu sprang out.

39. But Bhïshma placed the Pinda on the ground since the hand is not authorised to receive the Pinda directly. With delight Shantanu said: - “You are definite in the matter of the import of the scriptures.

40. Be blessed with the power of seeing the events of the three units of time. In the end, Vishnu will be your final goal. You can court death according to your will. After saying this he attained liberation.

41. At the beautiful Rudrapäda, Rama attempted to give pindas to the Pitris. His father Dašharatha came down from heaven extending his hand.

42. Räma, who was afraid of transgressing the purport of injunction of scriptures did not give the Pinda in the hand (of Dašharatha). He gave the Pinda on Rudrapâda. Dašharatha then said to Räma.

43. “O son, I have been redeemed by you. I am sure to go to Rudraloka (the world of Rudra) because the Pinda is offered at the foot of Rudra. If it had been placed in my hand I would not have attained the heavenly goal.

44-45. You will rule kingdom for a long time. After protecting your subjects and after performing Yajñas with appropriate Dakshinas you will go to Vishnu’s world along with the citizens of Ayodhyä and even worms, insects and other beings. After saying this to Ràma, the king went to the world of Rudra.

46. After worshipping Kanakešha, Kedära, Narasimha and Vâmana on the high way (that is the path of the chariot) the devotee shall redeem the Pitris.

47. If the devotee performs the rite of Pindadâna in the name of anyone at Gayàšhiras, they go to heaven even if they are in the hell and if they are in the heavenly world they will attain salvation.

48. He who offers Pinda at Gayàšhiras, even of the size of a šhamï leaf, or with bulbous roots, roots, fruits, etc. shall lead the Pitris to the heaven.

49. By offering Šhräddha in front of the Pâdas of Vishnu etc. seen there, the devotee takes the Pitris to those worlds of the deities at whose foot the Šhráddha was offered.

50. The mountain Mundaprushtha is marked everywhere by these pädas (footprints). The Pitris who are worshipped there attain the region of Brahma.

51. The Tïrtha here is known as Gadàloka since the head of the demon Gaya¹ had been split into two by Ädi-Gadädhara with the Gadâ (iron club) and since the Gada was washed in the Tirtha, *

1. This must be a misprint. It was the head of demon Heti and not of Gaya that was split by Vishnu (vide Våyu 11. 75),

*In the stream Phalgu.

52. A sage performed penance in the form of a Krauñcha (heron), on the mountain Mundaprushtha Due to the markings of his feet on that hill it is remembered as Krauñchapãda.

53. The feet of Vishnu and others are stationed here in the form of Liñgas. After performing the rite of Tarpana for the Devas and others the Shräddha should be performed at Rudrapäda and other spots.

54. O Mohinï, after performing these rites on the fourth day, the devotee becomes sanctified. He then becomes eligible for the rites. The performer of the Šhräddha attains the world of Brahma.

55. The devotee should take holy dips in the Shilà Tïrthas and perform the Tarpana rites. These on behalf of whom they perform the Shräddha along with the Pindas go to the world of Brahmä.

56-57. They will stay there and sport about as long as the living beings are not dissolved. All living beings whether sweat-born, oviparous or viviparous, attain Säyujya with by abandoning their bodies on the back of the rock. They attain salvation along with seven hundred members of their families.