History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t2.245

v5.c74.t2.245

On the third day of entering Gayā one has to perform Pañcatīrthī rites¹⁴⁹⁹ (Vāyu 111. 1 ff.). The pilgrim first bathes in Uttaramānasa, offers tarpaṇa to gods, gives water and śrāddha and piṇḍas to his ancestors with the mantras (Vāyu 110. 21-24). The fruit of this rite is the inexhaustible gratification of the *pitṛs*. Then the pilgrim goes to the three tīrthas which constitute Dakṣiṇamānasa, viz. Udīcītīrtha (on the north), Kanakhala (in the middle) and Dakṣiṇamānasa (on the south). At each of these three there is a śrāddha. Then the pilgrim goes to the Phalgutīrtha, which is the best of all (Gayā) tīrthas. The pilgrim performs tarpaṇa and śrāddha with piṇḍas on Phalgu. This śrāddha at Phalgu results in *mukti* for the performer and also for those for whose benefit it is performed (muktir-bhavati kartṝṇāṃ pitṝṇāṃ śrāddhataḥ sadā, Vāyu 110. 13). It is stated that Phalgu is Ādi-Gadādhara himself in a fluid form.¹⁵⁰⁰ By bath in Phalgu and seeing Gadādhara a man saves himself, ten ancestors and ten descendants. Then he worships Gadādhara by a bath with *pañcāmṛta* after bowing1500a to Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Viṣṇu, Śrīdhara. On the 2nd day of the Pañcatīrthī rites (i. e. 4th day from entering Gayā) the pilgrim should repair to Dharmāraṇya which is so-called because Dharma performed a sacrifice there. Then the pilgrim should bathe in the Mataṅgavāpī (which is situated in Dharmāraṇya), then he should perform *tarpaṇa*, śrāddha and *piṇḍadāna* at the well called Brahmatīrtha and also in the space between Brahmatīrtha and Brahmayūpa; then bow to Brahmā and Dharmeśvara ¹⁵⁰¹ He should bow to the Mahābodhi tree (i. e. the sacred *pippala*) and perform śrāddha also underneath it. Agni 115. 34-37 and Nāradīya (uttara) 45. 104 refer to these tīrthas. On the third day of the Pañcatīrthī rites (i. e. on 5th day from entering Gayā) the pilgrim should bathe in Brahmasaras and perform śrāddha with piṇḍas between the Brahmakūpa and the Yūpa (sacrificial post) raised by Brahmā when he performed a sacrifice. By this śrāddha the pilgrim saves his pitṛs.¹⁵⁰² He should go round the Brahma-yūpa and bow to Brahmā. There are mango trees near Gopracāra established by Brahmā. By watering a mango with water from the Brahmasaras the pitṛs attain *mokṣa.* Here follows the verse ('eko muniḥ' &c.) quoted above (n 1493). Then a *bali* should be offered to Yama and Dharmarāja, then to the two dogs of Yama, then he should offer a bali to crows and then bathe (in Brahmasaras). This is briefly a summary.of Vāyu 111 30-40. Some of these details are mentioned by Agni 115. 34-40 and Nāradīya (uttara) 46. Then on the 4th day of the Pañcatīrthī rites (i. e. 6th day from entrance into Gayā) the pilgrim should take an ordinary bath in the Phalgu and should then perform śrāddhas at the several padas on Gayāśiras which is near Phalgutīrtha. Gayāśiras extends from Krauñcapāda up to Phalgutīrtha. Śrāddha offered here (on Gayāśiras) becomes inexhaustible.¹⁵⁰³ Here Ādi-Gadādhara abides in the form of Viṣṇupada. By performing a śrāddha with piṇḍas on Viṣṇupada (which is a footprint on a slab deemed to be of Viṣṇu) the pilgrim saves one thousand families and takes them and himself to the blissful, inexhaustible and never-ending world of Viṣṇu. Then Vāyu 111. 47-56 deal with the rewards of śrāddhas performed at Rudrapada, Brahmapada and 14 other padas expressly named by it.¹⁵⁰⁴ 'For whomsoever by name a pilgrim offers a piṇḍa on Gayāśiras, that man, if in hell, goes to heaven and if in heaven he secures *mokṣa*.'