History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t2.242

v5.c74.t2.242

Chap. 111 deals with the order in which the several tīrthas are to be visited. The full pilgrimage lasts for seven days. In chap. 110 it has been stated as shown above that on entering Gayā, a pilgrim takes a bath in the Phalgu water, performs tarpaṇa and śrāddha, then on the same day he goes to the Pretaśilā (which is a part of the Śilā as stated in Vāyu 108 15) and performs a śrāddha there and offers piṇḍas with boiled rice and ghee (Vāyu 110.15). On doing this the persons for whom this is done become free from the position of *preta*. It is stated (in Vāyu 108. 17-22) that one should bathe in the Rāmatīrtha which is near the place where Phalgu meets the Prabhāsa hill. By bath in Rāmatīrtha and offering of śrāddha and piṇḍa there the persons for whom this is done become pitṛs (being already free from *pretatva* by the śrāddha on pretaśilā). On a hill on the south of Pretaśilā one should offer a *bali* (food offered with kuśa, sesame and water) to Yamarāja and Dharmarāja and to the two dogs Śyāma and Śabala. On the next day after entering Gayā (i. e. the 2nd day), the pilgrim should proceed to the Pretaparvata¹⁴⁹⁷ (Vāyu 110.8) and take a bath in the Brahmakuṇḍa and perform tarpaṇa, śrāddha and giving of piṇḍas mixed with sesame, ghee, curds and honey to his ancestors (father, grandfather &c.) with the mantras ‘pitā pitāmahaścaiva’ (Vāyu 110. 23-24). Then the pilgrim should offer on kuśas, water, sesame and piṇḍas to persons related in various ways with the mantras ‘asmat-kule mṛtā ye ca &c., (Vāyu 110. 34-55). He should then invoke the gods to be witnesses to the fact of his having come to Gayā and become free from the debt to the ancestors (Vāyu 110. 59-60). It is stated in Vāyu 110.61 that at all sacred spots in Gayā the offering of piṇḍas should be done in the same way as at Pretaparvata¹⁴⁹⁸.