Chapter LXXXVI - Merit of performing Sraddhas at Preta Sila

Brahma said:—The well renowned hill of Pretashila lies detached in three places at Gaya, viz., at the sanctuaries of Prabhasa, Pretakunda and the Gayashira. The hill rests on the shoulders of the god of virtue, and is supported by the aforesaid deity only for the elevation of the whole world. It is so called from the fact of its emancipating the departed spirits of one’s parents, friends and relations in life, and thus fulfilling the initiative purpose of its own creation. The spirits of sages and potentates and canonised queens of old, perpetually grace with their presence the summits of the blissful Pretashila, and hence a Shraddha ceremony performed at the foot of this sacred hill, leads its performer to the region of Brahma, after death. The hill known as the Mundapristha is so called from the fact of its standing on the exact spot where fell the head of the demon Gaya at the time of his demise, and forms a sort of natural pantheon, visited by all the gods in the universe. The strip of forest which stretches along the foot of the hill of Mundapristha and is washed by the head waters of the sacred Brahma-sara (the lake of Brahma) is called the forest of Aravindam (Aravinda Vanam). Partly hidden by the forest, the hill of Aravinda rears its lofty head and is seen looming at a distance. The hill is also known as the Krauncha-pada from the fact of its being impressed with the marks of a Krauncha’s (a bird of the heron species) feet.

The spirit of the original deities, such as the mace-bearing god, etc., hovered over and lay inherent in that sacred hill, and hence it should be regarded as an elevation permeated with the respective essences of the aforesaid gods. The hill, pregnant with the spirit of the club-wielding god, had originally buried under its weight the head of the demon Gaya, but the divine spirit became patent and manifest in course of time, and the hill is to be looked upon as identical with his divine self. For the preservation of order and religion in the world, and for the suppression of evil-, and wrong-, doers, the birth and deathless Hari had incarnated in the shape of the divine fish, tortoise boar, Nrisinha (Man Lion), Vamana (Dwarf), Rama (Parashu Rama), Rama (the son of Dasaratha), Krishna, Buddha and Kalki, in the company of his celestial cohorts, the Ruddras etc. In like manner, the club wielding god, who was invisible and disembodied in the beginning, became patent and took shape at Gaya. And since he was worshipped at the outset (Adi) by such goo’s, as Brahma, etc., with offerings of flowers, perfumes, etc., he is called the original (Adi) club-wielding deity. Accordingly the pilgrim who pays a visit to his divine image, or worships him just after his arrival at Gaya (Adyam) with such offerings as Arghas, water for absolving his feet, perfumes, flowers, lamps, burning sticks of incense, garlands, sweets and edibles, garments, bells, mirrors, chowries, ornaments, boiled rice, obsequious cakes, etc., is blest with all the good things which wish can name in life, becomes the possessor of untold wealth and well-filled granaries, is enabled to live up to a ripe old age, honoured and revered as a man of knowledge and wisdom, and becomes the happy progenitor of a prosperous and fruitful race. Blest in the love of a true and devoted wife he is privileged to taste of an advance draught of heaven, where he is sure to be glorified after the close of his mortal career. From heaven he will reincarnate as the undisputed monarch of the whole earth, victorious in wars against his adversaries, courageous and noble in his thoughts and dealings, and so on through successive re-births until the final liberation or emancipation of his Self will be worked out. The man who performs a Shraddha ceremony at the present shrine, ascends to the region of Brahma with his departed manes, after death.

The man who worships at Gaya the divine image of Valabhadra, and that of his sister Subhadra, acquires wealth and wisdom in life, and goes to the region of Purushottama after death, leaving a large number of sons to mourn his loss. By casting obsequious cakes to his departed manes in the front of the divine images of Gana, Purushottama and the sun-god, a man is sure to lead their spirits to the region of Brahma. By devoutly making an obeisance to the god Kapardi Vignesha a man is sure to mount over all obstacles in life. The man who worships the god Kartikeya, is sure to be translated to the region of Brahma. A worship of the twelve Adityas, duly performed, is sure to prove curative in cases of all bodily distempers. A worship of the god of fire, imparts a healthful glow to the complexion of the worshipper. By worshipping the god Revanta a man becomes the possessor of a splendid stud of horses. The moon god, duly propitiated,. grants the boon of unbounded wealth to the worshipper. A worship of the goddess Gauri confers affluence upon her votary. A worship of the goddess Sarasvati brings on wisdom to her suppliant, whereas the goddess Lakshmi increases the pecuniary resources of the man who duly supplicates her favour.

By worshipping the lord of the celestial birds (Garuda) one is sure to get over all impediments in the way to success, while the god Kshetrapala, duly propitiated, relents to nullify the evil influences cast by the malignant planets. The man who worships the sanctuary of the Mundapristha hill, lives to witness the realisation of all his desires. A man bitten by a serpent, is made sound and whole by worshipping the Nagastakam. The man who worships the god Brahma, is translated to the region of Brahma after death. A worship of the god Valabhadra imparts health and strength to the votary, whereas a propitiation of the goddess Subhadra brings good fortune in its train. By worshipping the god Purushottama the best wishes of a man are sure to be realised. The man who worships the god Narayana is sure to extend his sway over the entire earth, and to become the undisputed monarch of the whole human race.

By touching, and making obeisance to, the image of the Nrisinha (man-lion) manifestation of Vishnu, one is sure to win victory in battle. The man who worships the image of the boar manifestation of Vishnu at Gaya, is sure to be crowned as a king and to acquire proprietory rights in lands. By touching the image of Vidyadhari, one is sure to acquire the status of a Vidyadhara (celestial musician). By worshipping the image of the original club-wielding deity, a man is enabled to witness the realisation of all his desires. A worship of the god Somanatha leads his votary to the region of Shiva. By making obeisance to the god Rudreshvara, a man is sure to be glorified in the region presided over by the Rudras. The man who makes an obeisance to the image of Rameshvara, becomes endeared to the people like the illustrious prince (Rama) after whom the god is named. The man, who hymnises the god Brahmeshvara, should be regarded as already a fit inmate for the region presided over by that divinity. By worshipping the god Kaleshvara, a man becomes invincible to decay. A worshipper of the Kedara manifestation of Shiva, is glorified in the region sacred to that divinity. The man who worships the god Siddeshvara, is sure to achieve penitential success and is belauded in the region of Brahma.

The man, who sees and touches the image of the original club-wielding deity at Gya (Adi Gadadhara) succours the souls of a hundred generations of his departed manes and is translated to the region of Brahma. By worshipping the same deity, a seeker of sovereignty is sure to acquire a kingdom, a suppliant for peace would enjoy divine tranquillity in his soul, a worker for the liberation of his self would undoubtedly see his labours crowned with success, a lover of virtue would be strengthened in his love, and a solicitor of creature comforts would have enough of good things in life. In short there is not a single blessing which the human wish can name, which is not promised to a votary of the club-wielding divinity. Similarly a female votary of the god would be blest with the pleasures of maternity, or would be rewarded with the undying love of her husband as her supplication might be.

The man who having worshipped the image of the club-wielding deity, makes a gift of water, or of boiled rice or of obsequious cakes at Gaya, is sure to ascend to the region of Brahma after death. Gaya is the most sacred of all the sanctuaries on earth, and the club-wielding god, transformed into stone at Gaya, is the foremost of all the deities that deign to visit our mortal globe. He who has seen the club-wielding god (maintainer of order and equity in the universe symbolised by his club or mace), has also seen his stone manifestation at Gaya, since He is the Universal Spirit who is all and runs through all.