Chapter 10 - Pilgrimage to Ayodhyā

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: Although the outline of the pilgrimage to Ayodhyā is given in Ch. 8 vv 102-116, a detailed treatment is given in this chapter in vv 1-73.

Agastya said:

1-2. The devotee should worship Ajita (Viṣṇu) by abstaining from food or taking in only milk. Siddhi (spiritual achievement) comes within his hands (power).

The great festival should be celebrated with vocal and instrumental music. An intelligent devotee who does like this and performs the rites in this manner, shall attain all desires.

3-6. To the north of this is the auspicious Tīrtha of Vīra, the great elephant in rut, O sage regularly performing holy rites.

After taking the holy bath, the devotee should stay there in front of it determinedly. He attains the complete Siddhi on realizing which he does not bemoan or regret.

Vīra (Hero, the elephant deity here) is the defender of Ayodhyā and bestower of all desired objects. The annual festival shall be celebrated on the Pañcamī (fifth) day during Navarātris (Festival of nine days in Āśvina). The deity should be worshipped cerefully by means of scents, incense, flowers etc. and food offerings in accordance with the injunctions. The deity shall be the bestower of all desired objects. Whatever he may desire, he shall attain.

7. To the south of this is the demoness named Surasā. O Brāhmaṇa, she is a perpetual devotee of Viṣṇu. She is a bestower of Siddhis.

8-12. By devoutly worshipping her one shall realize all desires. She was brought from her abode in Laṅkā by Rāma of magnificent activities. She was installed in Ayodhyā for the sake of its defence. People must observe vows and restraints, worship her duly and visit her with great respect. The festival for the sake of realizing all desired objects, bestows auspiciousness. It should be celebrated with great effort by means of vocal and instrumental music.

The annual festival shall be celebrated on Tṛtīyā (third day) during the Navarātris. It is conducive to the attainment of happiness and progeny. It bestows great objects. It shall be made pleasant by means of songs, musical instruments and dances. If everything is done thus, one shall be well-protected always. There is no doubt about this.

13-16a. In the western direction to this is installed a very great warrior of excellent heroism called Piṇḍāraka. He is to be worshipped with great effort by means of scents, flowers, raw rice-grains etc. As a result of this worship Siddhis shall be within the reach of men. The worship of that deity should be performed by men in accordance with the injunctions of worship. The devotee shall take his holy bath in the waters of Sarayū and then worship Piṇḍāraka who deludes sinners and bestows good intellect on men of good deeds always.

The (annual) festival should be celebrated during Navarātris with great luxury.

16b-17. To the west of it, the devotee should worship Vighneśvara by seeing whom not even the least obstacle remains (in the affairs) of men. Hence Vigneśvara, the bestower of all desired benefits, should be worshipped.

18-19. To the north-east of that spot is the place of the birth of Rāma. This holy spot of the birth is, it is said, the means of achieving salvation etc. It is said that the place of birth is situated to the east of Vighneśvara, to the north of Vāsiṣṭha and to the west of Laumaśa.

20. Only by visiting it a man can get rid of staying (frequently) in a womb (i.e. rebirth). There is no necessity for making charitable gifts, performing a penance or sacrifices or undertaking pilgrimages to holy spots.

21. On the Navamī day the man should observe the holy vow. By the power of the holy bath and charitable gifts, he is liberated from the bondage of births.

22. By visiting the place of birth one attains that benefit which is obtained by one who gives thousands of tawny-coloured cows everyday.

23-25. By seeing the place of birth one attains the merit of ascetics performing penance in hermitage, of thousands of Rājasūya sacrifices and Agnihotra sacrifices performed every year. By seeing a man observing the holy rite particularly in the place of birth he obtains the merit of the holy men endowed with devotion to mother and father as well as preceptors.

[Now the description of Sarayū]:—

26-27. It gives infinite satisfaction to the Pitṛs, the devotee gets more merit than that of Gayāśrāḍdha, if Sarayū is visited. One gets that merit thereby which is obtained by staying in Kāśī for thousands of Manvantaras.

28. By (visiting) the city of the Son of Daśaratha (i.e. Rāma) in Kali Yuga, it is said, one gets that merit which is obtained by persons who perform Gayāśrāddha and then visit Puruṣottama (Jagannāthapurī).

29. If Sarayū is visited, one attains that benefit which a man obtains when he stays in Mathurā for the period of a Kalpa.

30. If Sarayū is visited, one obtains that merit which is obtained in Puṣkara and Prayāga in the month of Māgha or Kārttika.

31. If Sarayū is seen, one obtains that merit which is obtained by means of stay in Avantī for thousands and crores of Kalpas.

32. By visiting the city of Daśaratha’s Son in Kaliyuga (even) for half a moment one obtains the merit of taking a holy plunge in Gaṅgā for sixty thousand years.

33. If living beings contemplate on Rāma for a moment or half a moment, it becomes the destroyer of ignorance which is the cause of the worldly existence.

34. Wherever one may stay, if one mentally remembers Ayodhyā, there is no question of his returning (to the earth) even in the course of hundreds of Kalpas.

35. Sarayū is Brahman itself in the form of water. It always bestows salvation. There is no question of experiencing the effects of Karma here. The man assumes the form of Rāma.

36. Beasts, birds, and animals and all those living beings of inferior species, become liberated and they go to heaven in accordance with the words of Śrīrāma.

37. After saying thus the Pot-born Sage stopped. Then Vyāsa, Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana, the ascetic, said once again:

38. “The detailed story in the proper order is not accessible to all the living beings. I have heard the procedure (and the proper order) from the men who come from there.

39. Now I wish to hear about the places of pilgrimage in accordance with the injunctions. O excellent sage, I wish to hear the proper order and procedure of the pilgrimage clearly from you, O ascetic.

40. Even as I ask you for it, describe the benefit in detail and in due order, O learned one, O most excellent one among merciful person, if you have any pity for me.

41. O sage observing regular vows, the most excellent one among those who know the entire universe, do it so that with your favour I can also undertake the pilgrimage.”

Agastya said:

42-43. Listen. I shall describe accurately the procedure for the pilgrimage, from the beginning, to Ayodhyā and to the seven Tīrthas in the proper manner and in due order. A pilgrim must be pure mentally, verbally and physically. His conscience must be free from impurities. With the sense-organs under control, he should take the holy baths in the Mānasa (Mental) Tīrthas. He who performs the rite perfectly well like this, attains the merit of visiting the Tīrtha.

Vyāsa said:

44. O ascetic, recount the Mānasa Tīrthas where the mind of those men who take the holy bath becomes pure.

Agastya said:

45. O sinless one, listen as I narrate to you the Mental Tīrthas, by taking a proper bath in which a man attains the highest goal.

46-47. They are: Satyatīrtha (Truthfulness), Kṣamātīrtha (Forbearance), Indriya-nigraha (Restraint of the sense-organs), Sarva-Bhūta-dayā Tīrtha (Mercifulness to all living beings), the most excellent Tīrtha of Satyavāditā (Speaking the truth), Jñānatīrtha (Knowledge) and Tapastīrtha (Penance). Thus the seven Tīrthas have been recounted. The mind will become pure in the Tīrtha of mercifulness to all living beings.

48. Purification of the body alone by means of water is not implied by the word Snāna (holy bath). If the mind of a man is pure he is said to have (really) taken Snāna.

Listen to the criterion for the meritoriousness of the terrestrial Tīrthas.

49. Just as some parts of the body are known as excellent, middling etc. so also there are some places on the earth that are proclaimed as exceedingly meritorious.

50. Therefore, one should have his stay in the terrestiral Tīrthas as well as mental Tīrthas. He who takes his holy bath in both, attains the greatest goal.

51. Hence you too, O leading Brāhmaṇa, undertake the pilgrimage with a pure conscience. Adopt it with great effort. (But) the pilgrimage has not yet been described by me. O eminent Brāhmaṇa, I shall describe the procedure for the pilgrimage in due order.

52. Aquatic beings are born in waters and they die in waters. They are impure in mind. They do not become free from impurities. They do not go to heaven.

53. Unceasing attachment to the objects of sensuous pleasures is called the dirt or impurity of the mind. If the mind refrains from coming into close contact with them, it is called its freedom from impurities.

54. If the mind is internally defiled, holy bath in a Tīrtha does not purify one. A liquor pot is unholy even if it is washed with water hundreds of times.

55. Charitable gifts, sacrifice, penance, cleanliness, pilgrim age to Tīrthas, Vedas—all these are holy Tīrthas if the devotee is mentally and emotionally pure.

56. A man who has restrained the group of his sense-organs may stay anywhere. That place is Kurukṣetra, Naimiṣa and Puṣkara for him.

57. Thus, O Brāhmaṇa, the characteristic features of a Mental Tīrtha have been recounted to you. If one takes bath therein all one’s holy rites shall be fruitful.

58. An intelligent devotee should get up very early in the morning and take bath in the confluence. After visiting Lord Viṣṇuhari he should take bath in Brahmakuṇḍa.

59. After taking the holy bath in Cakratīrtha, visiting first Lord Cakrahari and then Dharmahari, a man shall be liberated from all sins.

60-62. The pilgrimage undertaken on every Ekādaśī (eleventh) day is conducive to auspiciousness. The intelligent devotee shall get up early in the morning and take his plunge in the waters of Svargadvāra. After performing his daily round of duties he shall visit Ayodhyā. After viewing Sarayū he should visit the Elephant in Rut (i.e. Vīra). He should then see Bandī, Śītalā and Baṭuka. After taking his holy bath in the lake in front of him he shall see Mahāvidyā.

63. After visiting Piṇḍāraka he should see Bhairava. This pilgrimage on the eighth and fourteenth days (of Lunar months) bestows merit.

64. On the Aṅgāraka Caturthī (fourth) day the devotee should visit the deities mentioned before and then visit Vighneśvara for the purpose of attaining all desired objects.

65-68. The intelligent devotee should get up early in the morning and take his plunge in the waters of Brahmakuṇḍa. After visiting Viṣṇu and Viṣṇuhari, he should, with mental, verbal and physical purity, see Mantreśvara and then Mahāvidyā. Then he should visit Ayodhyā for the purpose of attaining all desired objects.

The devotee who has conquered his sense-organs should take bath along with the clothes on. Due to the holy bath along with the clothes one has on, different kinds of sins committed in the course of many births perish. Hence one should take holy bath with the clothes on. Thus the auspicious pilgrimage that dispels all sins, has been recounted.

69. Even in the course of hundreds and crores of Kalpas one does not return (to the earth), if one performs regularly the pilgrimage that bestows auspicious benefits.

70. Hence you too, O eminent Brāhmaṇa, go to Ayodhyā. Do not delay. After going there undertake the pilgrimage with perfect restraint on the sense-organs.

71. Ayodhyā is the greatest holy place. Ayodhyā is exceedingly great. No other city like Ayodhyā is seen.

72-73. Ayodhyā is the greatest holy place established on the discus of Viṣṇu. Thus what was asked by you has been recounted, O Brāhmaṇa, by me. Resort, O sage, to that and allow me (to proceed) from here.

Sūta said:

74. After saying these things when the Pot-born Sage stopped, Vyāsa, the storehouse of penance, spoke these sweet words:

Vyāsa said:

75-76. I am blessed. I am contented, O sage, I have done my duty. Truthfulness, cleanliness, learning, good conduct, forbearance, straightforwardness—all these are in vain if one does not go to Ayodhyā. Since you who were pleased with me have pronounced the right judgement, I shall go to the pure city of Ayodhyā even now. O great Brāhmaṇa, you too do go back to your own hermitage.

Sūta said:^[1]

77-78. After describing the excellent procedure for the pilgrimage in due order, the pot-born sage, Agastya, the mass of penance, went to his penance-grove. The intelligent mass of splendour, Vyāsa, who had conquered his sense-organs, went to Ayodhyā with his eyes beaming with surprise and pleasure like a lotus in full bloom. The Brāhmaṇa went to Ayodhyā for the purpose of attaining all desired objects.

79-82. After proceeding to Ayodhyā he performed the pilgrimage in accordance with the injunctions in due order. On seeing the excellent Tīrtha, the performer of wonderful miracles, he became exceedingly delighted. The intelligent sage ceremoniously sipped the water therein. Then the sage, the great Brāhmaṇa, went to his penance-grove.

The glory was recounted to me by Vyāsa in the due order. I listened to the glory and undertook the pilgrimage in accordance with the injunctions. After conning to Kurukṣetra it has been recounted and reviewed before you.

83. The pure man who reads this matchless glory and listens to this with faith, attains the great goal.

84. Hence this should be listened to with great care always by people. The worship of Brāhmaṇas and Viṣṇu should be performed scrupulously.

85. Gold etc. should be given in accordance with one’s capacity to a Brāhmaṇa. He who seeks sons will get sons. He who seeks Dharma will get Dharma.

86. This has been described along with detailed injunctions. It is conducive to Dharma. An excellent man who comprehends this glory of the holy place with great devotion, shall be endowed with prosperity. He goes to the abode of Hari after enjoying all pleasures.

87. He who gives to the expounder of the Purāṇa some time money according to his capacity, vessels, clothes of great beauty and charm, silver, gold and cows shall be liberated.

:: End of Ayodhyā-Māhātmya ::

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

In vv 77-87 Sūta concludes the present Māhātmya with its Phalaśruti.