Chapter 80 - Paiśācatīrtha and other Holy Centres

Brahmā said:

1. The holy centre Paiśāca is said to be on the northern bank of Gaṅgā. O highly intelligent one, formerly a brahmin got rid of the state of Piśāca (vampire) there.

2-5. There was a brahmin well known in the world as Ajīgarti. He was the son of Suyava. He was extremely distressed due to the burden of sustaining the family. He was overwhelmed by famine and privation. For a great deal of money he sold his middle son Śunaḥśepa who was the most excellent among the knowers of Brahman. He sold him to a Kṣatriya for being sacrificed in a Yajña. What sin does not a person in distress commit even though he may be a learned man? The sage took much by way of monetary remuneration for performing the duty of slaughtering him also. The base brahmin accepted money for cutting him. Thereupon he was afflicted by an irremediable disease.

6. After due efflux of time he died and was thrown into hell. There is no means of dispelling previous sins except endurance and suffering.

7. At the behest of Yama he was transferred to various wombs by the servants of Yama. He took various births. Then he became a terrible vampire of terrifying shape.

8. He was dragged along and cast into lonely forests, dry woods and waterless expanses enveloped by summer forest fires during the summer season by the servants of Yama.

9. Those who sell their daughters, sons, plots of lands, horses and cows do not return from hell till all living beings are annihilated.

10. As a result of the fruition of sins committed by himself the terrible servants of Yama began to cook and roast his physical body. Thereupon, he cried aloud recollecting what had been committed by himself.

11-14. Once while he was going along the path the middle son of Jīgarti heard the voice of the ghost lamenting again and again. He heard the voice of his father who had sold him to be offered in the sacrifice. Then Śunaḥśepa said: “You are extremely distressed! Who are you?” Jīgarti said sadly: “I am the father of Śunaḥśepa. After committing a sinful deed I have attained a terrible state of life. I have been cooked and roasted in hells. Again I have reached a stage of suspense. This is the goal of all those who commit evil deeds.”

15. Jīgarti’s son told him sadly: “O father, I am your son. Due to my fault you sold me and hence you have attained hells. Now I shall make you go to heaven.”

16. After vowing thus, the excellent sage attained the state of (the adopted) son of Viśvāmitra and meditated on Gaṅgā. Desiring excellent worlds for his father he went out.

17. In the three worlds there is no other support except Gaṅgā flowing from the feet of Vi ṣṇu, for those persons who sink within the great ocean of delusion, for the embodied beings fumigated by the fire of all miseries.

18-19. After deciding thus, the noble-souled sage, desirous of redeeming his father from misfortune, went immediately to Gautamī and took his holy bath there. With purity (in mind and body) he remembered Śambhu and Viṣṇu and offered libation to his dead father who was highly distressed and who had assumed the form of a ghost. Merely by that offering Ajīgarti became sanctified and he obtained a highly meritorious body.

20-23. By virtue of the power of his son and the power of Gaṅgā, Śambhu, Hari and Vidhātṛ, he became one possessing the refulgence of ten thousand suns. Seated in an aerial chariot he attained Viṣṇu’s foot resorted to by the groups of Devas.

Thenceforth, this holy centre became very famous as destroyer of ghostly vampires. It is extremely curative. Merely by remembering it great sins vanish.

The greatness of the holy centre has been described to you. There are three hundred such holy centres, yielding worldly pleasures and salvation.

These three hundred holy centres have been mentioned as the bestowers of all (spiritual) achievements. They have been frequented by the sages. Even by being remembered they bestow cherished desires.

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