47 - The Glory of Gaya

Vasu said:

1. * On the fifth day, the devotee should perform the holy ablution etc. in the Gadäloka tirtha as before and then perform the Shräddha along with the Pindas under the Akshayavata (everlasting Banyan tree).

*For vv. 1-10 cf Våyu P. 111.79-83. This fifth day corresponds to the seventh day after entering Gayi. vide Agni P. 115.69-73.

2. By performing Šhräddha there the pilgrim shall take Pitris to the city of Brahma. Thereafter, he should feed and worship the Brahmanas appointed by Brahma.

3-4a. He who, with special efforts, performs the rite of Šhräddha at the Akshayavata along with this and visits, salutes, and worships Vatešha (the Lord of the Banyan tree) with concentration and purity of mind shall take his Pitris to the everlasting and eternal city of Brahmâ.1

l. VV, 6b-8a are the same as Vayu 111. 83-84.

4b-8. “For the sake of purity and for attaining everlasting heavenly bliss I take my holy bath in the great and excellent Tirtha called Gadâloka wherein the iron club of Lord Vishnu had been washed. He who assumes the form of a baby and sleeps at the tip of the banyan tree in Yogic slumber is called Yogašhãyin. Obeisance be to you the Yogašhãyin. Hail to you with the weapon with which the tree of worldly existence is cut.

Obeisance be to you the destroyer of all sins. Bow to the giver of ever-lasting Brahman; obeisance to the everlasting Vata (Banyan tree.)”

“In this Kali age the people are devotees (followers) of Mahešhvara. Hence, Gadâdhara assumed the form of a Liñga. I salute to you the (great grandfather of that nature.” By bowing down to that great grandfather (of the Universe) at Rudrapäda, the devotee leads the Pitris to the region of Rudra.

9-10a. The lord killed the Asura Heti. His head was split into two with the iron club. Where the club was washed by the Lord the Tirtha came to be called Gadâloka. It became the most excellent of all holy centres.2

2. Identical with Våyu 111. 75.

10b. Heti was a Rakshasa He was the son of Brahma. He performed a great and wonderful penance.

11-12. He chose the boon from the delighted bestowers of boons viz. Brahma and others. They had been pleased with him on account of his penance. So he chose the boon thus: “I should become very mighty. I must not be killed by Krishna, Išhäna and others with their weapons viz. discus, etc. I must not be killed by human beings nor by Daityas and others with their different weapons and missiles. “They said ‘‘So be it.” and then vanished. Thereafter, Heti conquered the Devas.

13. Heti occupied the post of Indra. Then Brahma, Hara and other Devas resorted to Hari and requested him ‘Kindly kill Heti.’

14. Hari said: - “O Devas, this Heti cannot be killed, by Devas and Asuras. Give me the Brahmastra (the missile of Brahma) whereby I shall kill Heti.”

15. Thus ordered, the Devas gave that Gada (iron-club) to Vishnu. Aja (Brahma) and others said — “O Upendra kill Heti (with this)”.

16. Requested by the Devas, Gadâdhara wielded that Gadâ. After striking Heti down in the battle with that iron club Gadâdhara gave heavenly world to the Devas.

1 7. The pilgrim should observe fast and take bath in the river Mahänadi, the Phalgu in front of the deity Gâyatrï. Then he should perform Sandhyâ prayers.

18-19a. After performing Šhrãddha along with Pindas the devotee shall be able to lead his family to the abode of Brahmä. After taking bath in the Tirtha situated in front of Sävitri and performing Sandhyà rites at Midday, the devotee shall be able to lead the Pitris to the abode of Brahma.

19b-20. *The pilgrim who takes bath in the (Eastern Sarasvati and observes the rite of Sandhyà prayers, in the evening in front of Sarasvati shall lead the family to omniscience. He is purified from the sin of omission of the Sandhyâ prayers in the course of many births.

*There are a number of identical verses: 19ff in NP here and Våyu P. 112.23 ff (to the end of that chapter).

21-22. He who performs Šhrâddha and offers Pindas in the following places shall lead a hundred ancestors to the world of Brahma. They are the holy centre of Lelihâna in the Višhälä (city), the hermitage of Bharata, the Mundaprushtha hill marked by the different foot-prints near Gadädhara, in the Tirtha of Äkäšhagañgä (celestial Gañgâ) and at the confluence of Girikarna (the Sabarmati).

23-24. * He who takes holy bath in the Gayävaitarani (Vaitarani at Gayä) shall uplift twenty-one generations of his family. He who offers Pindas in the following places shall lead Pitris to the heaven. —They are the Goprachâra in the divine river the region of Mânasa lake, the Pushkarini (lotus pond), the Tïrtha of Gadâloka; the Amaraka, the Koti-Tirtha and the Rukmakunda.

*These verses mention important spots at Gayä which can be located with the help of Väyu P.: Go-Prachära (1 11.35-37) where mango trees were planted by Brahma; Mänasa (N. of tanks—Uttara M. and Dakshina M. 111.6 and 8; 2 and 22), Pushkarani (108.84), Gadäloka (111.75-76) is the stream of Phalgu; Rukma-Kurnda is probably the same as Rukmini Kunda ( 108.84) .

25-26. The devotee shall be the redeemer of the Pitris by bowing down to Kotïšha and Mârkandeyešha. By the mere vision of the merit bestowing Pändušhilä, even the persons stationed in hell shall be sanctified. The devotee shall lead them to the heaven. After saying this, Pandu attained the eternal and unchanging region.

27. (The sacred rivers at Gayâ are) Ghrutakulyâ, Madhukulyä, Devikä, Mahànada (Phalgu) and the Madhusravä is glorified where it comes in contact with Preta šhilâ.

28-29a. By taking bath there, a man attains the benefits of ten thousand horse sacrifices. By performing the Tarpana rite for the Pitris and by offering Shräddha along with the Pindas, the man uplifts a thousand members of the family and takes them to the city of Vishnu.

29b-30. Even the vegetable kingdom, the sweet-born animals, the oviparous and viviparous beings—all these dying on reaching the Madhusravá attained Vishnu’s region. By performing Šhräddha in the Hamsa Tirtha that is as meritorious as the Dašhašhvamedha, the devotee shall attain heaven.

31. By bowing down to the Tirthas called Dašhâšhvamedha and Hamsa the devotee shall attain the city of Shiva. He who performs Šhrãddha at the Pâda of Mätañga shall reside in the city of Brahma.

32. Brahma should churn fires within the Šhamï along with Vishnu and others. The Tirtha formed thereby is called Manthakunda. It causes liberation of the Pitris.

33. He who takes a holy dip therein, attains liberation by performing Tarpana and offering Pindas. By bowing down to Ramešha and Karakešhvara the devotee shall take Pitris to the heaven.

34. By offering Pindas at the Gaväküpa the devotee attains the benefit of a horse-sacrifice. By taking Bhasma bath (smearing the body with the ashes) at the holy centre Bhasmaküta the devotee redeems the Pitris.

The man who takes holy bath at the confluence of Nikshira shall wash off his sins. He who performs Šhraddha in Ramapushkarini shall take Pitris to the world of Brahma.

36. He who takes ablution in the river Sushumna shall uplift twentyone generations of his family. By bowing down to Vasishthesha in Tirtha, the devotee has the same benefit as in a horse-sacrifice.

37.He who offers Pindas in the forest Dhenuka at the footprints of Kâmadhenu after taking bath and bowing to that lord shall take Pitris to the world of Brahma.

38a-39a. He who takes the holy dip and performs the Šhräddha at Kardamala and Gayanâbhi near Mundaprustha hill shall take Pitris to the heaven by bowing down to Chandikã as well as by worshipping the lord of confluence named Phalguchandišha.

39b-40a. The following six Gayäs are the bestowers of liberation viz. Gayâgaja, Gayàditya, Gàyatrï, Gadâdhara, Gayâ and Gayâširas.1 By setting a bull free at Gayâ, the devotee shall uplift twentyone generations of the family.

1. The same as P. 1 12. 60 ft.

41. The devotee who has conquered his sense organs and who has been formally permitted by Brähmanas, wherever he stays, should meditate upon the primordial Gadãdhara and offer Shräddha and Pindas.

42-44. He shall then uplift a hundred members of his family and lead them to the world of Brahma. Thereafter, he should duly worship lord Janârdana and offer the excellent Naivedya of cooked rice and curds alone. The Pindas should be deposited and offered and the pilgrim should sustain himself on the remnants.

44. Since the rock was kept on the back or the head of the Daitya, the mountain Mundaprushtha is the bestower of the world of Brahma on the Pitris.

45-47a. When Rãma had gone to the forest, Bharata climbed on the mountain and stood there. After installing Ràmešha he offered Pindas to his father. He who takes holy bath there, bows with concentration to Ràmešha, Râma and Sità, performs Shraddha and offers Pinda shall attain the city of Vishnu. The righteous soul shall go to the city of Vishnu along with his Pitris, and hundreds of members of his family.

47 b-48. The deity is installed on the ridge of Kunda to the right hand of the slab. By performing Šhrâddha etc., there, the devotee shall lead Pitris to the city of Brahma. Penance was performed by Kunda on the mountain to the south of Sitädri (the mountain of Sitâ).

49. He who offers Pindas on the meritorious Pàda of Matañga shall lead Pitris to the heaven. To the left hand side of the rocky slab, the mountain Antaka is held.

50. The Udayädri (The mountain of the rising-sun) was brought here and established by Agastya, the great soul. He who offers Pindas there shall lead Pitris to the city of Brahma.

51. God Brahma created the sacred water Pool called Udyantaka. It was used by him for his own penance. Brahma was stationed there along with Savitri and Kumara (i.e. Sanatkumära).

52-53. Hähâ, Hühü and others sang songs, and played on instruments. He who takes holy dip in the Agastya Tïrtha, and worships Sàvitri at midday shall be born as a Brâhmana endowed with wealth and mastery of the Vedas for crores of birth. He who takes holy dip at the Pada of Agastya and offers Pindas shall lead the Pitris to the heaven.

54. The man who enters the Brahmayoni and comes out attains the great Brahman. He will be liberated from the uterine distress. (i.e. further births) and attain Moksha.

55. By bowing down to Gayâkumâra a man obtains Brãhmanahood. By means of ablutions etc. in the Somakunda the devotee shall lead his Pitris to the world of Soma (Moon).

56. The oblation offered at Käkashilâ to the crows bestows salvation instantaneously. By bowing down to Svargadvârešhvara (Lord of the Portals of the heaven), the devotee shall take his Pitris from the heaven to the city of Brahma.

57a. He who offers Pindas in the Vyomagañgä shall become free from impurities and lead Pitris to the heaven.

57b-58a. To the righthand side of (Preta) šhilä, god Yama Dharma sustained the Bhasma-küta hill. Hence god Shiva gave it that name there.

58b-59. O Mohinï, in the place where this pile of ashes Bhasma-küta) lies like a mountain and is designated Bhasmaküta there is a Vata (banyan tree). The great grandfather of the world Brahma, is stationed there as the lord of the Banyan Tree. Just in front of it is the Rukminikunda and to the west of it is the river Kapilâ.

60. Lord Kapilesha is on the banks of the river where the meeting of Umã and river Shiva takes place. The man shall take bath in the Kapilâ and bow down to and worship Kapilešha.

61. He who offers Šhrâddha in the Mahešhîkunda shall attain heaven. Gauri and Mañgalâ when worshipped there, are the bestowers of all good fortune.

62-63a. Janärdana is the deity on the Bhasmaküta. The devotee shall offer Pinda in his hand, with the right hand, * for his own sake and with the left hand for other’s sake but without gingelly seeds. Of course the Pinda shall be mixed with curds. All those people shall attain the world of Vishnu.

*Reading Dakshena for Mantrena.

63b-65. “O Janärdana, this Pinda is given unto your hand by me in the course of Gaväšhrâddha.1 When I am dead, the Pinda should be given to me by you. The person for whose sake the Pinda has been given to you by me, give that Pinda at Gayäšhirsha when he dies. O Janârdana, Obeisance to you. Salutation to you in the form of Pitris.

1. For offering Pinda to oneself cf. Väyu 108.85, also AP. 115.68.

At Gayä, Janãrdana is himself present in the form of the Pitris.

66. Hail to you O Pitrupâtra (one who deserves to be worshipped by the Pitris). Obeisance to you, the cause of salvation.

67a. By seeing the lotus-eyed lord (Purndarïkäksha) one is liberated from the threefold indebtedness. “O Pundarikaksha, I bow to you, O liberator from the threefold indebtedness, O lord of obeisance be to you. Hail to you O bestower of salvation on the Pitris.”

By worshipping Pundarïkâksha Janärdana the devotee shall attain heaven.

69. Kneeling on the ground with the left knee bent, the devotee shall bow down to Janârdana. After performing the Šhrâddha along with the Pindas the devotee shall attain the world of Vishnu along with his brothers.

70. On the left leg of the rocky slab (šhilâ) is the mountain Pretaküta. It is held by Dharmarâja. The mountain consisting of Pretašhilâ is sinful.

71. It was cast off very far by means of the leg (by Gadädhara) since the weight of the rocky slab had been felt on the Pada (foot). The departed jivas catch hold of (the deities) in the form of archers.

72. Many of them cause obstacles and they are stationed, separately. For the liberation of the Pitris the performance of Shrâddha etc. in the Tirtha is a contributory cause.

73. The Pretaküta attained sanctity, thanks to the contact with the Šhilâdri (the hill called Shilâ). The Pretakunda is also there. The Devas are stationed there by means of their Pâdas (footprints).

74-76a He who takes bath and offers Šhräddha and Pindas shall liberate Pitris from ghosthood. In the land of Kikatas (Magadha), Gayâ is highly sacred, the forest of Räjagrha is sacred and meritorious, the hermitage of Chyavana is sanctifier, the river called Punapunâ (mod. Punpun, a tributary of the Gañgâ in Patna District) is highly sacred. Vaikuntha, Lohadanda, Giriküta and Shonaga are holy centres. He who performs Šhräddha and offers Pindas there, shall lead Pitris to the city of Brahma.

76b-77. On the southern foot of the “rocky slab (šhilä)”, the mountain Grudhraküta is held by Dharmarâja. In order to stabilise themselves immediately, the great holy sages assumed the forms of vultures, performed penances and achieved siddhis.

78. Hence the mountain is called Grudhraküta,1 the lord of vultures. There is Shiva. By taking holy bath and visiting Grudhrešhvara, the man goes to the city of Šhambhu.

1. Near Gayä there is a chain of sacred but rocky hills and their peaks are called Bhasma-Küta, Grudhra-Küta, Preta-Küta, Näga-Küta, Räma Šhilä, Preta Shilä, Krauñcha-Päda,

Gayåshirsha consists of this chain of hillocks extending to about two miles. But this spot was well-known even before the time of the Buddha as we find the record of Buddha’s visit to Gayåshirsha (Päli for Gayä Shira) in the Anguttara Nikaya, vol. IV. P. 302.

79. After going to the city of Grudhras, one whose opportune moment has arrived, shall go to the heaven. By visiting Shiva (in the holy centres of) Runamoksha (that which liberates from indebtedness) and Pâpamoksha (that which liberates from sins), the devotee shall attain Šhivahood.

80. The šhilodaka (the spring-water from the rocky slab) is pervaded by the Ädipâda (portion) of the mountain. It is there that Vighnešha (the destroyer of obstacles) is stationed in the form of an elephant.

81. By visiting him one is liberated from obstacles. The devotee shall take Pitris to the city of Shiva. By visiting Gäyatrï and Gayâditya after the holy dip, the devotee shall attain heaven.

82. By visiting Brahmà stationed at the Ädipàda, the devotee shall redeem the Pitris. He who offers the Pindas at the Navel shall lead Pitris to the city of Brahmä.

83. An excellent lotus rose up for beautifying the Mundaprushtha hill. By visiting the Mundaprushtha and the lotus, the devotee is liberated from sins.

84. (Defective) the devotee shall avoid from a pretty long distance the horned animals, fanged animals, serpents, poisons, fires, women and water. He who sports with them is no better than a dead person.

85-90. The following are proclaimed as Patitas (fallen ones) Viz: He who is killed while offending the serpents; he who is struck down by lightning; he who is captured and punished by the king himself due to the fault of thieving; those who indulge in sexual dalliance with other men’s wives and are killed by their husbands out of hatred; those who are killed after coming into conflict with Chandalas and others; those who are of unequal rank and of mixed caste; those who depend upon Chändälas and others; those who poison and burn cows; heretics of ruthless intellect; those base men who commit suicide out of anger with fasts into death, poisoning, burning, inflicting wounds with weapons, hanging themselves, drowning themselves in water; and falling from the tops of mountains and tall trees; those who maintain themselves through reproachful ingenuity; those who are authorized in the Pañchasünäs i.e. five household things namely, oven, grinding stone, broomstick, wooden mortar and water pots; those who are almost dejected in sacrifices and assemblies; the eunuchs; those who are struck down by the imprecations of the Brâhmanas; those who are killed by Brahmanas and those who are guilty of great sins.

91. All these fallen ones attain purity, thanks to the Bhasman of Gayäküpa. Thus, O gentle lady, the excellents greatness of Gayâ has been recounted to you.

92-94. This is destructive of all sins; it bestows liberation on the Pitris. The man, who devoutly listens to this during Shrâddha or on Parvan days or daily, O fair lady, the man who recounts this, shall attain the world of Brahma. This is the source of welfare; this is holy; this is conducive to wealth; this bestows attainment of heaven on men; it is conducive to renown and longevity; it increases sons and grandsons.