Skandapurana 2.8.10

Agastya said:

A man becoming fast-bound or feeding only on milk,

should worship Ajita, O brahmin; accomplishment rests in his hand.

A great festival is to be held, accompanied by song and instrumental music.

The wise person who acts in this way attains all desires.

To the north of this, O learned one, is an auspicious indicator of the hero,

the station of Mattagajendra, O you of fixed vows.

Having bathed in the lake before it, one should certainly reside there.

One attains full accomplishment, having attained which one grieves no more.

The heroic protector of Ayodhyā grants the fulfilment of all desires and purposes.

On the fifth day during Navarātri, the annual pilgrimage takes place.

According to the rule of fragrances, flowers, incense, food offerings, and so forth,

he who grants the accomplishment of all aims and desires should be zealously worshipped.

Whatever desire one wishes for here, that desire one attains.

In the southern part from this, a demoness named Surasā,

ever devoted to Viṣṇu, O brahmin, abides granting accomplishments.

Having worshipped her with devotion, a person attains all desires.

Brought here from the place of Laṅkā by Rāma of exalted deeds,

she was established in Ayodhyā for protection by those of firm vows.

Having worshipped her according to rule, her darśana is to be performed with respect.

For the sake of fulfilling all aims and desires, an auspicious festival also

must be carefully performed, joined with songs and musical instruments.

On the third day of Navarātri, the annual pilgrimage takes place,

granting the highest end for the permanent attainment of happiness and progeny,

delightful with various vocal songs, instrumental music, and dances.

When this is done, there is no doubt that one will be protected at all times.

In the western quarter from this, O sage, stands the supreme [one],

the hero famed as Piṇḍāraka, endowed with supreme valor.

He should be zealously worshipped with perfumes, flowers, unbroken rice grains, and the like.

By power of whose worship accomplishments rest in the hands of men,

his worship should be performed by people according to the prescribed rule of worship.

Having bathed in the waters of the Sarayū, one should worship Piṇḍāraka,

the cause of delusion for sinners, who ever bestows wisdom on the virtuous.

His pilgrimage is to be performed during Navarātri when joined with the Puṣya constellation.

In the western direction from that, one should indeed worship Vighneśa,

from the sight of whom not even a trace of an obstacle remains for people.

Therefore Vighneśvara, who bestows the fruit of all desires, should be worshipped.

To the northeast of that spot is the birthplace of Rāma;

this birthplace is proclaimed to be the means of attaining results such as liberation.

To the east of Vighneśvara, and likewise to the north of Vasiṣṭha's [place],

to the west of Lomaśa's [place], the birthplace is thus commemorated,

having seen which a person conquers dwelling in the womb,

without gift-giving, without austerity, without sacred fords, and without sacrifices.

When the ninth day has arrived, a person observing vows

is freed from the bondage of birth by the power of bathing and gift-giving.

He who gives thousands of tawny cows day after day

attains that same fruit merely from viewing the birthplace.

Whatever fruit belongs to men and ascetics living in a hermitage,

or from thousands of Rājasūya sacrifices, or from the Agnihotra every year,

is obtained especially by seeing a person observing rules at the birthplace,

and of virtuous people who bear devotion toward their mother, father, and teachers.

he obtains that fruit from the sight of the birthplace.

Now, the description of the Sarayū.

[He obtains] inexhaustible satisfaction for the ancestors, a fruit greater than a śrāddha at Gayā.

Whatever fruit [is gained] by dwelling in Kāśī for thousands of manvantaras,

that fruit he obtains once the sight of the Sarayū is performed.

And whatever [fruit] they [gain] who perform a śrāddha at Gayā and the sight of Puruṣottama,

that fruit is declared [attained] in the Kali [age] in the city of Daśaratha's son [Ayodhyā].

If a human being dwells in Mathurā for a single kalpa,

he obtains that fruit once the sight of the Sarayū is performed.

[Whatever fruit is gained] at Puṣkara, at Prayāga, or in the month of Māgha or Kārttika,

that fruit he obtains once the sight of the Sarayū is performed.

Whatever [fruit comes] indeed from dwelling in Avantī for thousands of crores of kalpas,

that fruit he obtains once the sight of the Sarayū is performed.

[Whatever fruit is] born of plunging into the Bhāgīrathī for sixty thousand years,

that fruit [is gained] in half a twinkling of an eye in the Kali [age] in the city of Daśaratha's son.

Living beings' meditation on Rāma for a twinkling of an eye or half a twinkling of an eye

certainly destroys the ignorance that causes worldly existence.

Whoever, residing anywhere at all, remembers Ayodhyā with his mind,

he has no return even after hundreds of kalpas.

The Sarayū, which is Brahman itself in the form of water, always grants liberation;

here there is no experiencing of [past] karma: a man becomes the very form of Rāma.

Beasts, birds, deer, and whatever others are of sinful wombs,

they too go liberated to heaven, according to the word of glorious Rāma.

When that sage born of a pot had finished speaking thus,

Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, rich in austerity, spoke again:

"The full narration in proper order is difficult for all creatures to attain;

and the order of pilgrimage for people who arrive has been heard by me.

Now I desire to hear, according to rule, the place of the sacred field,

and the order of pilgrimage properly, O best of sages, O rich in austerity.

Tell the fruit in proper order and in detail to me who am asking,

if you have grace toward me, O learned one, O best of the compassionate.

O best among those who know the universe, so that having heard in proper order,

I may perform the pilgrimage by your grace, do so, O you of restrained vows!"

Agastya said:

"Listen! I shall tell truly the order of pilgrimage from the beginning,

of the seven sacred fords in Ayodhyā, properly in succession.

Pure in mind, speech, and body, with a faultless inner self,

having bathed in the excellent mental sacred fords, with senses subdued,

he who performs the rite properly enjoys the fruit of the sacred ford."

Vyāsa said:

"Tell me about the mental sacred fords alone, O rich in austerity,

in which the purification of the mind occurs for men who have bathed."

Agastya said:

"Listen, O sinless one, to the mental sacred fords as I describe them,

in which a person, having properly bathed, goes to the supreme state:

Truth is a sacred ford, patience is a sacred ford, restraint of the senses is a sacred ford;

compassion for all beings is a sacred ford, speaking truth is [foremost] of sacred fords;

knowledge is a sacred ford, austerity is a sacred ford—this group of seven sacred fords has been declared.

In the sacred ford of compassion for all beings, purification of the mind occurs.

Bathing is not called merely having one's body purified with water;

he is truly bathed whose mind is considered completely pure.

Listen also to the reason for the sacredness of earthly sacred fords:

Just as certain parts of the body are traditionally regarded as middling or superior,

so certain regions upon the earth are traditionally regarded as most holy.

Therefore one should reside in both earthly sacred fords and mental ones;

and whoever bathes in both goes to the supreme state.

Therefore you too, O chief of brahmins, with a purified inner self,

diligently perform the pilgrimage. The pilgrimage has not yet been told by me;

but I will declare that rule of pilgrimage to sacred fords in order, O chief of brahmins.

Water-creatures are born only in the waters and die in them; [yet they do not attain heaven.]

nor do they go to heaven, being impure in mind and tainted with dirt. // 52

Constant attachment to sensory objects is called the defilement of the mind;

refraining from engaging in them alone is spoken of as purity. // 53

An inner mind that is corrupt is not purified by ritual ablution at a sacred ford,

just as a liquor vessel remains unholy even when washed hundreds of times with water. // 54

Charity, sacrifice, austerity, purity, resorting to sacred fords, and learning the scriptures—

all these are sacred fords, if one is pure in disposition. // 55

Wherever a man dwells who has curbed the senses,

there for him is Kurukṣetra, Naimiṣa, and likewise Puṣkara. // 56

This is declared to you, O brahmin, as the definition of the sacred ford of the mind,

bathing in which makes all rites fruitful for those who perform them. // 57

Rising at dawn, a wise man should bathe at the confluence;

having seen the pervasive lord Viṣṇuhari, he should then bathe in Brahmakuṇḍa. // 58

Having bathed in Cakratīrtha and seen the pervasive Cakrahari,

and then having seen Dharmah вызari, a man is freed from all sins. // 59

On each eleventh day [of the fortnight], this pilgrimage brings good fortune.

Rising at dawn, a wise man bathed in the waters of Svargadvāra, // 60

having performed the daily duty, should also gaze upon Ayodhyā;

then having seen the Sarayū, he should next see Mattagaja; // 61

and he should behold Bandī, Śītalā, and Vaṭuka;

having bathed in the lake in front of them, he should behold Mahāvidyā. // 62

Then having seen Piṇḍāraka, there is the darśana of Bhairava.

On the eighth and the fourteenth days, this pilgrimage yields its fruit. // 63

On a Tuesday that is a fourth day, the deities mentioned before [are seen],

and then one should see the Lord of Obstacles to attain all desires and goals. // 64

Rising at dawn, a wise man bathed in the water of Brahmakuṇḍa,

having seen Viṣṇu as Viṣṇuhari, pure in mind, speech, and body, // 65

and then having seen Mantreśvara, should behold Mahāvidyā,

and then having gazed upon Ayodhyā, for the attainment of all desires and goals. // 66

When a man with senses subdued bathes at Svargadvāra with his clothes on,

the various sins committed across many births

depart through that bath with his clothes on; therefore, he should bathe clothed. // 67

This indeed is declared as the auspicious pilgrimage that removes all sins. // 68

Whoever constantly undertakes this pilgrimage that grants auspicious fruits,

there is no rebirth for him, even after hundreds of millions of aeons. // 69

Therefore you too, O chief of brahmins, go to Ayodhyā without delay;

having gone there, restrained in senses, perform the pilgrimage in due order. // 70

Ayodhyā is the supreme abode; Ayodhyā is supremely great;

no city is seen to be equal to Ayodhyā. // 71

Ayodhyā is the supreme abode, established upon Viṣṇu's discus. // 72

Thus has this been spoken, O brahmin, which was asked by you;

resort to it, O sage; give me leave now to depart." // 73

Sūta said:

When the pot-born sage had ceased speaking after saying this,

Vyāsa, that treasury of austerities, spoke sweet words. // 74

Vyāsa said:

"I am blessed, I am favored, I have achieved my purpose, O sage!

Truth, purity, scriptural learning, O brahmin, good character, forbearance, and rectitude—

all of it is fruitless for him if he has not come to Ayodhyā. // 75

Since you, being pleased with me, have declared the determination of dharma,

even now I will go to the immaculate city of Ayodhyā;

you too, O chief among brahmins, go to your own hermitage." // 76

Sūta said:

Having thus spoken in order this peerless rule of pilgrimage,

the pot-born Agastya, a mass of austerities, departed // 77

for his own hermitage, steadfast, his eyes blossoming with wonder;

and Vyāsa too, a mass of splendors, with senses subdued, departed. // 78

The brahmin arrived at Ayodhyā for the attainment of all desires and goals;

having arrived and performed the pilgrimage in due order according to this rule, // 79

having seen that supreme sacred ford, the source of great wonder... // 80

Swollen with joy, having properly sipped water there, the wise one,

then the sage, the eminent brahmin, went to his own hermitage.

The māhātmya was told to me by Vyāsa in due order at that time. // 81

Having heard the māhātmya and having undertaken the pilgrimage according to the rules,

having arrived at Kurukṣetra, it has been recounted before you. // 82

Whichever restrained person recites this peerless māhātmya,

and whoever hears it with faith, goes to the supreme state. // 83

Therefore, this should always be heard with effort by people;

worship of brahmins and worship of Viṣṇu should be performed diligently. // 84

Gold and other [gifts] should be given to a twice-born according to one's capacity;

one who desires sons obtains sons; one who desires righteousness attains righteousness. // 85

Whichever best of men in this world receives with supreme devotion this māhātmya of the sacred field, righteous, primordial, and described through very extensive ordinances—

attended by fortune, having enjoyed all pleasures, he goes fully to the abode of Hari. // 86

He who even once gives wealth according to his ability to the reciter—

vessels, captivating garments, silver, gold, and cows—he is liberated. // 87

Thus ends the tenth chapter, titled “Description of the Sequence of the Pilgrimage Procedure to Ayodhyā”, in the dialogue between Agastya and Vyāsa, in the Ayodhyāmāhātmya, in the second section, the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, of the Skandapurāṇa comprising eighty-one thousand verses.

Thus the Ayodhyāmāhātmya in the second section, the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, of the Skandapurāṇa is complete. (2.8)