Garudapurana 1.86

The glorious Garuḍa Purāṇa [Chapter] 86. / Brahmā said: / This celebrated Pretaśilā at Gayā is situated threefold: / at Prabhāsa, at Pretakuṇḍa, and on the head of Gayāsura.

The rock containing all the gods was placed by Dharma for prosperity. / Those among men—friends, relatives, and others—who have become ghosts,

for their deliverance the auspicious Pretaśilā exists. / Therefore, sages, kings, queens, and others always

perform funeral rites and the like on that rock and go to the world of Brahmā. / Since the rock is upon the back of the head of Gayāsura,

this mountain is called Muṇḍapṛṣṭha, containing all the gods. / Since at the feet of Muṇḍapṛṣṭha are [tīrthas] headed by Brahmasaras,

among them is the Aravinda forest; by that it is designated. / The mountain named Aravinda is marked with the footprint of Krauñca;

therefore, the Krauñcapāda mountain grants the world of Brahmā to the ancestors. / Gadādhara and other primal gods stood there in the beginning,

unmanifest in the form of stone; therefore the rock consists of the gods. / Covering the head of Gayā[sura], the heavy rock was set.

In the course of time, primal Gadādhara became manifest and stood [there], / together with great Rudra and other gods—Hari, without beginning or end.

Just as the Fish previously appeared for the sake of protecting dharma, / destroying adharma and the like, and annihilating the daityas and rākṣasas,

and the Tortoise, the Boar, the Man-Lion, Vāmana, the mighty Rāma [Jāmadagnya], / Rāma son of Daśaratha, Kṛṣṇa, the Buddha, and also Kalkin,

even so the unmanifest-formed primordial Holder of the Mace (Ādigadādhara) became manifest. / Because he, the primordial one, was worshipped here in the beginning by the gods, headed by Brahmā,

with water for the feet and the like, perfumes, flowers, and so forth, he is therefore Ādigadādhara. / Whoever approaches the primeval Gadādhara, together with the gods, and offers

water offering, a vessel, water for washing the feet, perfume, flowers, incense, / a lamp, excellent food offerings, various garlands,

garments, a diadem, a bell, a cāmara, dramatic spectacles, / ornaments and the like, funerary balls (piṇḍa), and the gift of food—

for them there is wealth, grain, long life, healthy prosperity, / the welfare of offspring beginning with sons, knowledge, wealth, and desired pleasure,

a wife, residence in heaven and other worlds, sovereignty after returning from heaven, / being of noble birth, endowed with vitality, crushing enemies in battle,

freed from slaughter and imprisonment, and at the end attaining liberation. / Those who perform the śrāddha and the offering of piṇḍas go to the world of Brahmā together with their ancestors.

Those who worship Jagannātha, Subhadrā, and Balabhadra, / obtaining knowledge, prosperity, and sons, go to Puruṣottama.

Offering a piṇḍa and the like in front of Puruṣottamarāja, / the Sun, and the Gaṇa bestows the world of Brahmā upon the ancestors.

Bowing to Kapardi-Vighneśa, one is freed from all obstacles. / By worshipping Kārtikeya, one attains the world of Brahmā.

By worshipping the twelvefold Āditya, one is freed from all diseases. / Having worshipped Vaiśvānara, one attains supreme brilliance.

Having worshipped Revanta, one obtains peerless horses. / Having worshipped Indra, [one attains] great sovereignty; having worshipped Gaurī, good fortune.

Having worshipped Sarasvatī, [one attains] knowledge; having worshipped Lakṣmī, wealth; / and having worshipped Garuḍa, one is freed from hosts of obstacles.

Having worshipped Kṣetrapāla, one is freed from hosts of malignant planets. / Having worshipped Muṇḍapṛṣṭha, one attains every desire.

Having worshipped the eight Nāgas, one bitten by a snake is delivered. / And having worshipped Brahmā, one attains the world of Brahmā.

Having worshipped Balabhadra, one attains strength and health. / And having worshipped Subhadrā, one attains supreme good fortune.

One attains all desires by worshipping Puruṣottama. / By worshipping Nārāyaṇa, one becomes a ruler of men.

Touching and bowing to Nārasiṃha, one is victorious in battle. / Having worshipped the Boar, one obtains a kingdom on earth.

Touching the two garland-bearing Vidyādharas, one obtains the station of a Vidyādhara. / One attains all desires by worshipping Ādigadādhara.

Having worshipped Somanātha, one attains the world of Śiva. / Having paid homage to Rudreśvara, one is glorified in the world of Rudra.

A man, having bowed to Rāmeśvara, becomes beloved like Rāma. / A man, having praised Brahmeśvara, is destined for the world of Brahmā.

Having worshipped Kāleśvara, a man becomes a conqueror of death (Kāla). / Having worshipped Kedāra, one is glorified in the world of Śiva.

And having worshipped Siddheśvara, a perfected being goes to the city of Brahmā. / Having seen Ādigadādhara together with the primordial Rudra and other gods,

a man uplifts a hundred generations and leads them to the city of Brahmā. / One desirous of dharma attains dharma, and one desirous of wealth attains wealth.

A desirous person attains desires, and one desirous of liberation attains liberation. / One desirous of kingship attains kingship, and one desirous of peace attains peace.

One desiring everything attains everything by worshipping Ādigadādhara. / A woman desiring sons [attains] sons, and one desiring good fortune [attains] good fortune.

And a woman desiring lineage obtains descendants by worshipping Ādigadādhara. / Offering water with a śrāddha, the offering of a piṇḍa, and the gift of food,

one attains the world of Brahmā by worshipping Ādigadādhara. / Just as the city of Gayā is foremost of all sacred sites on earth,

even so is Gadādhara, whose form is the sacred rock and the rest, supreme. / When he is seen, the rock is seen, because Gadādhara is everything.

Thus ends the eighty-sixth chapter, named “The Glory of Gayā”, in the Ritual Section entitled the First Part, in the First Section of the glorious Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa. / (Thus the Glory of Gayā is concluded.)