Agnipurana 115: atha pañcadaśādhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ — gayāyātrāvidhiḥ

115.1

agniruvāca
udyataścedgayāṃ yātuṃ śrāddhaṃ kṛtvā vidhānataḥ
vidhāya kārpaṭīveśaṃ grāmasyāpi pradakṣiṇam

Agni said: / If one is prepared to go to Gayā, having performed an ancestral rite according to rule, / having assumed the attire of a pilgrim, and having circumambulated the village,

115.2

kṛtvā pratidinaṅgacchet saṃyataścāpratigrahī
gṛhāccalitamātrasya gayāyā gamanaṃ prati

he should travel every day, self-restrained and receiving no gifts. / As soon as one has set forth from home towards Gayā,

115.3

svargārohaṇasopānaṃ pitṝṇāntu pade pade
brahmajñānena kiṃ kāryaṃ gogṛhe maraṇena kim

at every step there is a stairway to heaven for the ancestors. / What need is there for knowledge of Brahman? What need for dying in a cowshed?

115.4

kiṃ kurukṣetravāsena yadā putro gayāṃ vrajet
gayāprāptaṃ sutaṃ dṛṣṭvā pitṝṇāmutsavo bhavet

What need for dwelling in Kurukṣetra, when a son goes to Gayā? / Seeing the son arrived at Gayā, there is rejoicing for the ancestors:

115.5

patamapi jalaṃ spṛṣṭvā asmabhyaṃ kinna dāsyati
brahmajñānaṃ gayāśrāddhaṃ gogṛhe maraṇaṃ tathā

"Touching even the water with his feet, what will he not give to us?" / Knowledge of Brahman, an ancestral rite at Gayā, and likewise death in a cowshed,

115.6

vāsaḥ puṃsāṃ kurukṣetre muktireṣā caturvidhā
kāṅkṣanti pitaraḥ putraṃ narakādbhayabhīravaḥ

and dwelling in Kurukṣetra—these are the four kinds of liberation for men. / Frightened by fear of hell, the ancestors desire a son:

115.7

gayāṃ yāsyati yaḥ putraḥ sa nastrātā bhaviṣyati
muṇḍanañcopavāsaśca sarvatīrtheṣvayaṃ vidhiḥ

"Whichever son goes to Gayā, he will be our deliverer." / Shaving the head and fasting—this is the rule at all sacred fords.

115.8

na kālādirgayātīrthe dadyāt piṇḍāṃśca nityaśaḥ
pakṣatrayanivāsī ca punātyāsaptamaṃ kulam

At the sacred ford of Gayā there is no restriction of time or the like; one should offer rice-balls daily. / And one who dwells [there] for three fortnights purifies up to seventy generations of his family.

115.9

aṣṭakāsu ca vṛddhau ca gayāyāṃ mṛtavāsare
atra mātuḥ pṛthak śrāddhamanyatra patinā saha

On the Aṣṭakā days, during a rite for prosperity, at Gayā, and on the anniversary of death, / an ancestral rite is performed here separately for the mother; elsewhere, it is together with the husband.

115.10

pitrādinavadaivatyaṃ tathā dvādaśadaivatam
prathame divase snāyāttīrthe hyuttaramānase

[An ancestral rite] for nine deities beginning with the father, and likewise for twelve deities— / on the first day, one should bathe in the sacred ford Uttaramānasa.

115.11

uttare mānase puṇye āyurārogyavṛddhaye
sarvāghaughavighātāya snānaṃ kuryād vimuktaye

In the holy Uttaramānasa, for the increase of life and health, / to destroy the flood of all sins, and for liberation, one should perform a bath:

115.12

santarpya devapitrādīn śrāddhakṛt piṇḍado bhavet
divyāntarīkṣabhaumasthān devān santarpayāmyaham

Having satisfied the gods, ancestors, and others, the performer of the ancestral rite should offer rice-balls: / 'I satisfy the gods residing in heaven, the atmosphere, and on earth.

115.13

divyāntarīkṣabhaumādi pitṛmātrādi tarpayet
pitā pitāmahaścaiva tathaiva prapitāmahaḥ

One should satisfy the ancestors and mothers in heaven, the atmosphere, and on earth: / father, paternal grandfather, and likewise paternal great-grandfather;

115.14

mātā pitāmahī caiva tathaiva prapitāmahī
mātāmahaḥ pramātāmaho vṛddhapramātāmahaḥ

mother, paternal grandmother, and likewise paternal great-grandmother; / maternal grandfather, maternal great-grandfather, and maternal great-great-grandfather.

115.15

tebhyo'nyebhya imān piṇḍānuddhārāya dadāmyaham
— namaḥ sūryadevāya somabhaumajñarūpiṇe

To them and to the others I offer these rice-balls for their deliverance. / Oṃ, reverence to the Sun-god, who has the forms of the Moon, Mars, and Mercury,

115.16

jīvaśukraśanaiścārirāhuketusvarūpiṇe
uttare mānase snāta uddharetsakalaṃ kulam

who has the forms of Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rāhu, and Ketu.' / Having bathed in Uttaramānasa, he delivers his entire lineage.

115.17

sūryaṃ natvā vrajenmaunī naro dakṣiṇamānasam
dakṣiṇe mānase snānaṃ karomi pitṛtṛptaye

Having bowed to the Sun, a man should go in silence to Dakṣiṇamānasa:

115.18

gayāyāmāgataḥ svargaṃ yāntu me pitaro'khilāḥ
śrāddhaṃ piṇḍantataḥ kṛtvā sūryaṃ natvā vadedidam

Having come to Gayā, may all my ancestors go to heaven.' / Then, having performed the ancestral rite and offered rice-balls, he should bow to the Sun and recite this:

115.19

— namo bhānave bhartre bhavāya bhava me vibho
bhuktimuktipradaḥ sarvapitṝṇāṃ bhavabhāvitaḥ

'Oṃ, reverence to the Sun, the maintainer, the origin [of all]; be [gracious] to me, O Lord! / Bestower of worldly enjoyment and liberation, revered by the world, [gratify] all ancestors!

115.20

kavyavāhānalaḥ somo yamaścaivāryamā tathā
agniṣvāttā varhiṣada ājyapāḥ pitṛdevatāḥ

Kavyavāhana fire, Soma, Yama, and Aryaman, / the Agniṣvāttas, the Barhiṣads, the Ājyapas, the ancestral deities—

115.21

āgacchantu mahābhāgā yuṣmābhī rakṣitāstviha
madīyāḥ pitaro ye ca mātṛmātāmahādayaḥ

may the illustrious ones come here, protected by you! / And those who are my ancestors, the maternal ancestors and the rest,

115.22

teṣāṃ piṇḍapradātāhamāgato'smi gayāmimām
udīcyāṃ muṇḍapṛṣṭhasya devarṣigaṇapūjitam

I, the giver of rice-balls to them, have come to this Gayā.' / North of Muṇḍapṛṣṭha is [the ford] worshipped by hosts of divine sages,

115.23

nāmnā kanakhalaṃ tīrthaṃ triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam
siddhānāṃ prītijananaiḥ pāpānāñca bhayaṅkaraiḥ

by name the Kanakhala sacred ford, renowned in the three worlds, / which causes delight to the perfected ones and strikes terror into sinners,

115.24

lelihānairmahānāgai rakṣyate caiva nityaśaḥ
tatra snātvā divaṃ yānti krīḍante bhuvi mānavāḥ

and is constantly guarded by darting-tongued great serpents. / Having bathed there, humans go to heaven [or] delight on earth.

115.25

phalgutīrthaṃ tato gacchenmahānadyāṃ sthitaṃ param
nāgājjunārdanāt kūpādvaṭāccottaramānasāt

Then one should go to Phalgu sacred ford, the supreme [spot] situated on the Mahānadī. / From the serpent, from Janārdana, from the well, from the banyan tree, and from Uttaramānasa—

115.26

etad gayāśiraḥ proktaṃ phalgutīrthaṃ taducyate
muṇḍapṛṣṭhanagādyāśca sārāt sāramathāntaram

this is declared to be Gayāśiras, and it is called Phalgu sacred ford; / and Muṇḍapṛṣṭha, Nāga, and others are the innermost essence of the essence.

115.27

yasmin phalati śrīrgaurvā kāmadhenurjalaṃ mahī
dṛṣṭiramyādikaṃ yasmāt phalgutīrthaṃ na phalguvat

Because fortune, speech, the wish-granting cow, water, earth, / pleasant sights, and so on bear fruit there, Phalgu sacred ford is not unsubstantial.

115.28

phalgutīrthe naraḥ snātvā dṛṣṭvā devaṃ gadādharam
etena kiṃ na paryāptaṃ nṛṇāṃ sukṛṭakāriṇām

When a man has bathed in the Phalgu sacred ford and seen the god Gadādhara, / is this not sufficient for men who perform good deeds?

115.29

pṛthivyāṃ yāni tīrthāni āsamudrātsarāṃsi ca
phalgutīrthaṃ gamiṣyanti vāramekaṃ dine dine

Whatever sacred fords and lakes there are on earth as far as the ocean, / they will go to Phalgu sacred ford once day after day.

115.30

phalgutīrthe tīrtharāje karoti snānamādṛtaḥ
pitṝṇāṃ brahmalokāptyai ātmano bhuktimuktaye

Devoutly he bathes in Phalgu sacred ford, the king of sacred fords, / for the ancestors' attainment of the world of Brahmā and for his own worldly enjoyment and liberation.

115.31

snātvā śrāddhī piṇḍado'tha nameddevaṃ pitāmaham
kalau māheśvarā lokā atra devo gadādharaḥ

Having bathed, the performer of the ancestral rite, offering rice-balls, should then bow to the god Pitāmaha. / In the Kali age people are devotees of Maheśvara; here the god is Gadādhara.

115.32

pitāmaho liṅgarūpī tannamāmi maheśvaram
gadādharaṃ balaṃ kāmamaniruddhaṃ nārāyaṇam

Pitāmaha has the form of a liṅga, so I bow to Maheśvara, / to Gadādhara, Bala, Kāma, Aniruddha, and Nārāyaṇa.

115.33

brahmaviṣṇunṛsiṃhākhyaṃ varāhādiṃ namāmyaham
tato gadādharaṃ dṛṣṭvā kulānāṃ śatamuddharet

I bow to the one called Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Nṛsiṃha, and to Varāha and the rest. / Then, having beheld Gadādhara, he delivers a hundred [generations of his] families.

115.34

dharmāraṇyaṃ dvitīye'hni mataṅgasyāśrame vare
mataṅgavāpyāṃ saṃsnāya śrāddhakṛt piṇḍado bhavet

On the second day, in Dharmāraṇya at the excellent hermitage of Mataṅga, / having bathed in Mataṅga's pond, he should perform the ancestral rite and offer rice-balls.

115.35

mataṅgeśaṃ susiddheśaṃ natvā cedamudīrayet
pramāṇaṃ devatāḥ santu lokapālāśca sākṣiṇaḥ

Having bowed to Mataṅgeśa and Siddheśa, he should speak this: / 'May the deities be the authority and the world-protectors the witnesses!

115.36

mayāgatya mataṅge'smin pitṝṇāṃ niṣkṛtiḥ kṛtā
snānatarpaṇaśrāddhādirbrahmatīrthe'tha kūpake

Having come to this Mataṅga, redemption has been made by me for the ancestors.' / Then bath, water-libations, ancestral rites, and other [rites] in the Brahma sacred ford and at the well—

115.37

tatkūrpayūpayormadhye śrāddhaṃ kulaśatoddhṛtau
mahābodhaturuṃ natvā dharmavān svargalokabhāk

between that well and the sacrificial post, an ancestral rite [serves] for the deliverance of a hundred families. / Having bowed to the tree of great enlightenment, the virtuous one shares in the heavenly world.

115.38

tṛtīye brahmasarasi snānaṃ kuryādyatavrataḥ
snānaṃ brahmasarastīrthe karomi brahmabhūtaye

On the third day, firm in his votive observance, he should bathe in Brahmasaras: / 'I bathe in the sacred ford of Brahmasaras for the attainment of Brahmā

115.39

pitṝṇāṃ brahmalokāya brahmarṣigaṇasevite
tarpaṇaṃ śrāddhakṛt piṇḍe pradadyāttu prasecanam
kuryācca vājapeyārthī brahmayūpapradakṣiṇam

and for the world of Brahmā for the ancestors, [at the lake] frequented by hosts of Brahmanical sages.' / The performer of the ancestral rite should offer libation, rice-balls, and sprinkling of water; / and desiring [the fruit of] a Vājapeya sacrifice, he should circumambulate Brahmā's sacrificial post.

115.39.p1

eko muniḥ kumbhakuśāgrahasta
āmrasya mūle salilandadāti

115.40

āmnāya siktāḥ pitaraśca tṛptā
ekā kriyā dvyarthakarī prasiddhā

A single sage, holding a jar and kuśa grass tips in hand, pours water at the root of a mango tree: / the sacred traditions are watered, and the ancestors are satisfied—a single rite is well known to accomplish two purposes.

115.41

brahmāṇañca namaskṛtya kulānāṃ śatamuddharet
phalgutīrthe caturthe'hni snātvā devāditarpaṇam

And having bowed to Brahmā, he delivers a hundred families. / On the fourth day, having bathed in Phalgu sacred ford and offered libations to the gods and others,

115.42

kṛtvā śrāddhaṃ sapiṇḍañca gayāśirasi kārayet
pañcakrośaṃ gayākṣetraṃ krośamekaṃ gayāśiraḥ

and having performed the ancestral rite with rice-balls, he should have it done on Gayāśiras. / The sacred precinct of Gayā is five krośas; Gayāśiras is one krośa.

115.43

tatra piṇḍapradānena kulānāṃ śatamuddharet
muṇḍapṛṣṭhe padaṃ nyastaṃ mahādevena dhīmatā

By offering rice-balls there, he delivers a hundred families. / On Muṇḍapṛṣṭha the footprint was imprinted by the wise Mahādeva.

115.44

muṇḍapṛṣṭhe śiraḥ sākṣād gayāśira udāhṛtam
sākṣād gayāśirastatra phalgutīrthāśramaṃ kṛtam

Muṇḍapṛṣṭha is declared to be visibly the head, Gayāśiras.

115.45

amṛtaṃ tatra vahati pitṝṇāndattamakṣayam
snātvā daśāśvamedhe tu dṛṣṭvā devaṃ pitāmaham

Nectar flows there, imperishable for the ancestors when offered. / Having bathed at Daśāśvamedha and seen the god, the grandfather [Brahmā],

115.46

rudrapādaṃ naraḥ spṛṣṭvā neha bhūyo'bhijāyate
śamīpatrapramāṇena piṇḍe dattvā gayāśire

And having touched the footstep of Rudra, a man is not born here again. / Having offered a funeral cake the size of a śamī leaf at Gayāśiras,

115.47

narakasthā divaṃ yānti svargasthā mokṣamāpnuyuḥ
pāyasenātha piṣṭena śaktunā caruṇā tathā

Those staying in hell go to heaven, and those in heaven attain liberation. / Then, with milk rice, flour, barley meal, or sacrificial boiled rice,

115.48

piṇḍadānaṃ taṇḍulaiśca godhūmaistilamiśritaiḥ
piṇḍe dattvā rudrapade kulānāṃ śatamuddharet

With rice grains and wheat mixed with sesame seeds, the offering of funeral cakes [is performed]. / Having offered a funeral cake at the footstep of Rudra, one delivers a hundred families.

115.49

tathā viṣṇupade śrāddhapiṇḍado hyṛṇamuktikṛt
pitrādīnāṃ śatakulaṃ svātmānaṃ tārayennaraḥ

Likewise, offering an ancestral rite and funeral cakes at the footstep of Viṣṇu, he is freed from debts; / a man rescues a hundred families of ancestors and others, and himself.

115.50

tathā brahmapade śrāddhī brahmalokaṃ nayetpitṝn
dakṣiṇāgnipade tadvadgārhapatyapade tathā

Likewise, performing the ancestral rite at the footstep of Brahmā, he leads the ancestors to the world of Brahmā. / In the same way at the footstep of the Dakṣiṇāgni, likewise at the footstep of the Gārhapatya,

115.51

pade vāhavanīyasya śrāddhī yajñaphalaṃ labhet
āvasathyasya candrasya sūryasya ca gaṇasya ca

Or at the footstep of the Āhavanīya, the performer of the ancestral rite obtains the fruit of a Vedic sacrifice. / At [the footsteps] of the Āvasathya fire, the Moon, the Sun, the Gaṇa,

115.52

agastyakārttikeyasya śrāddhī tārayate kulam
ādityasya rathaṃ natvā karṇādityaṃ namīnnaraḥ

Of Agastya, and of Kārttikeya, the performer of the ancestral rite delivers his family. / Having bowed to the chariot of the Sun, a man should bow to Karṇāditya.

115.53

kanakeśapadaṃ natvā gayākedārakaṃ namet
sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ pitṝn brahmapuraṃ nayet

Having bowed to the footstep of Kanakeśa, he should bow to Gayākedāra. / Freed from all sins, he leads the ancestors to the city of Brahmā.

115.54

viśālo'pi gayāśīrṣe piṇḍado'bhūcca putravān
viśālāyāṃ viśālo'bhūdrājaputro'bravīd dvijān

Even Viśāla, offering funeral cakes at Gayāśīrṣa, obtained sons. / Viśāla was born as a prince in Viśālā; he addressed the brahmins:

115.55

kathaṃ putrādayaḥ syurme dvijā ūcurviśālakam
gayāyāṃ piṇḍadānena tava sarvaṃ bhaviṣyati

"How may I have sons and the like?" The brahmins said to Viśālaka: / "By the offering of funeral cakes at Gayā, everything will be yours."

115.56

viśālo'pi gayāśīrṣe pitṛpiṇḍāndadau tataḥ
dṛṣṭvākāśe sitaṃ raktaṃ puruṣāṃstāṃśca pṛṣṭavān

Then Viśāla too offered funeral cakes to the ancestors at Gayāśīrṣa. / Having seen white and red persons in the sky, he asked them:

115.57

ke yūyanteṣu caivaikaḥ sitaḥ proce viśālakam
ahaṃ sitaste janaka indralokaṃ gataḥ śubhān

"Who are you?" And one white one among them said to Viśālaka: / "I, white, am your father; through auspicious deeds I have gone to Indra's world.

115.58

mama raktaḥ pitā putra kṛṣṇaścaiva pitāmahaḥ
abravīt narakaṃ prāptā tvayā muktīkṛtā vayam

The red one is my father, O son, and the black one is the grandfather." / He said, "Having reached hell, we have been liberated by you.

115.59

piṇḍadānād brahmalokaṃ brajāma iti te gatāḥ
viśālaḥ prāptaputrādī rājyaṃ kṛtvā hariṃ yayau

From the offering of funeral cakes, we go to the world of Brahmā." Having spoken thus, they departed. / Viśāla, having obtained sons and other blessings, ruled the kingdom and went to Hari.

115.60

pretarājaḥ svamuktyai ca vaṇijañcedamabravīt
pretaiḥ sarvaiḥ sahārtaḥ san sukṛtaṃ bhujyate phalam

And the king of ghosts spoke thus to a merchant for his own liberation: / "Afflicted along with all the ghosts, the fruit of good deeds is being enjoyed.

115.61

śravaṇadvādaśīyoge kumbhaḥ sānnaśca sodakaḥ
dattaḥ purā sa madhyāhne jīvanāyopatiṣṭhate

On the conjunction of the twelfth lunar day of Śravaṇa, a pot with food and water / was formerly given at midday; that presents itself for our subsistence.

115.62

dhanaṃ gṛhītvā me gaccha gayāyāṃ piṇḍado bhava
vaṇigdhanaṃ gṛhītvā tu gayāyāṃ piṇḍado'bhavat

Take my wealth, go, and become an offerer of funeral cakes at Gayā." / Then the merchant, taking the wealth, became an offerer of funeral cakes at Gayā.

115.63

pretarājaḥ saha pretairmukto nīto hareḥ puram
gayāśīrṣe piṇḍadānādātmānaṃ svapitṝṃstathā

The king of ghosts, along with the ghosts, was liberated and led to the city of Hari. / From offering funeral cakes at Gayāśīrṣa, [one delivers] oneself and one's ancestors,

115.64

pitṛvaṃśe mṛtā ye ca mātṛvaṃśe tathaiva ca
guruśvaśurabandhūnāṃ ye cānye bāndhavā mṛtāḥ

And the sons who are in the paternal lineage and likewise in the maternal lineage, / and the other deceased kinsmen of teachers, fathers-in-law, and friends;

115.65

ye me kule luptapiṇḍāḥ putradāravivarjitāḥ
kriyālopagatā ye ca jātyandhāḥ puṅgavastathā

Those in my family who have been deprived of funeral cakes, destitute of sons and wives, / those who have missed funeral rites, those born blind, and the bull-like men,

115.66

virūpā āmagarbhā ye jñātājñātāḥ kule mama
teṣāṃ piṇḍo mayā datto hyakṣayyamupatiṣṭhatām

The deformed, the miscarried embryos, known or unknown in my family— / to them a funeral cake has been offered by me; may it present itself as imperishable!

115.67

ye kecit pretarūpeṇa tiṣṭhanti pitaro mama
te sarve tṛptimāyāntu piṇḍadānena sarvadā

Whichever of my ancestors abide in the form of ghosts, / may all of them attain satisfaction forever through this offering of funeral cakes!

115.68

piṇḍo deyastu sarvebhyaḥ sarvairvai kulatārakaiḥ
ātmanastu tathā deyo hyakṣayaṃ lokamicchatā

A funeral cake should indeed be offered to all by all saviours of their lineage; / and it should likewise be offered for oneself by one desiring an imperishable world.

115.69

pañcame'hni gadālole snāyānmantreṇa buddhimān
gadāprakṣālane tīrthe gadālole'tipāvane

On the fifth day, a wise man should bathe at Gadālola with the mantra: / "At Gadālola, the sacred ford for cleansing the mace, which is supremely purifying,

115.70

snānaṃ karāmi saṃsāragadaśāntyai janārdana
namo'kṣayavaṭāyaiva akṣayasvargadāyine

I bathe for the pacification of the disease of worldly existence, O Janārdana!" / "Homage to the imperishable banyan tree, the granter of imperishable heaven,

115.71

pitrādīnāmakṣayāya sarvapāpakṣayāya ca
śrāddhaṃ vaṭatale kuryād brāhmaṇānāñca bhojanam

For the imperishable benefit of father and other ancestors, and for the destruction of all sins!" / One should perform an ancestral rite at the foot of the banyan tree and feed brahmins.

115.72

ekasmin bhojite vipre koṭirbhavati bhojitā
kimpunarbahubhirbhuktaiḥ pitṝṇāṃ dattamakṣayam

When one brahmin is fed, ten million are fed; / what then when many have eaten? That which is given to the ancestors becomes imperishable.

115.73

gayāyāmannadātā yaḥ pitarastena putriṇaḥ
vaṭaṃ vaṭeśvaraṃ natvā pūjayet prapitāmaham

He who gives food at Gayā—through him the ancestors possess a son. / Having bowed to the banyan tree and to Vaṭeśvara, one should worship the great-grandfather [Brahmā].

115.74

akṣayāṃllabhate lokān kulānāṃ śatamuddharet
kramato'kramato vāpi gayāyātra mahāphalā

He attains imperishable worlds and delivers a hundred families. / In due order or out of order, the pilgrimage to Gayā bears great fruit.

115.74.p1

ityāgneye mahāpurāṇe gayāmāhātmye gayāyātrā nāma pañcadaśādhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ