Great personages performing Shraddha in Gaya

Gaya: Great personages performing Shraddha in Gaya:

(Vayu Purana - 111 to 112)

• Meditation: I meditate on Lord Adi-Gadadhara abiding in Gaya.

Lord Vishnu

• Sage Bharadwaja performing Shraddha in Kashyapa-Pada: Sage Bharadwaja performed Shraddha in Kashyapa-Pada. Two hands, one white and the other black issued forth from the Pada to accept the Pinda. Sage Bharadwaja offered the Pinda on the Pada of sage Kashyapa. By an aerial chariot, both of them went to Brahma Loka.

• Sri Rama performing Shraddha in Rudra-Pada: Sri Rama performed Shraddha in Rudra-Pada. His father Dasharatha came from heaven and stretched his hand for the Pinda. Sri Rama did not give the Pinda to the hand but offered it to the Rudra-pada. Dasharatha became pleased and said that by offering the Pinda to the Rudra-pada, he has been redeemed and will go to Rudra Loka. If the Pinda was offered in his hands, he would have gone to heaven only. Also, Sri Rama by leading a life of Dharma, will finally go to Vishnu Loka along with the subjects of Ayodhya.

• Bhishma performing Shraddha in Vishnu-Pada: Bhishma performed Shraddha in Vishnu-Pada. Two hands of Shantanu, his father, came out to accept the Pinda. Bhishma did not give the Pinda to the hand but offered it to the Vishnu-pada. Shantanu was redeemed and blessed that he (Bhishma) will have vision extending to past, present and future. He will finally attain Vishnu Loka and his death will be by his own will.

• King Vishala performing Shraddha in Gaya: King of Vishala named Vishala was sonless and on advise of the brahmanas performed Shraddha in Gaya. During Pinda-dana he saw three persons in the sky - white, red and dark in colour. The white one was his father who came from Indra Loka. The red one was his grandfather who killed a brahmana (and was hence red). The black one was his great-grandfather who had killed many sages (and was hence black). The grandfather and great-grandfather had fallen into the hell of Avici. They were redeemed by the offering of Pinda. King Vishala got sons and by the blessings of the Pitris, reigned for a long time and finally went to the abode of Lord Vishnu.

• A merchant performing Shraddha in Gaya: Some Preta, in order to get liberation, told a merchant to offer Pinda-dana in his name. The Preta gave wealth to the merchant for performing the Pinda-dana. The merchant offered Pinda-dana to Pretaraja and only after that offered Pinda-dana for his Pitris. The Preta was redeemed.

• Yudhishthira performing Shraddha in Deva Pushkarini: Yudhishthira performed Shraddha in Deva Pushkarini. Pandu, his father, stretched his hand and asked for the Pinda. Yudhishthira placed the Pinda on the rock instead of the hand. Pandu became pleased and conferred the boon that he will rule the kingdom devoid of criminals. Pandu was redeemed and attained the undecaying region.

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