Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 73
अध्याय ११५ — गयायात्राविधिः
Procedure for the Pilgrimage to Gayā
प्रेतराजेत्यादिः, स्वपितॄंस्तथेत्यन्तः पाठो झ पुस्तके नास्ति शुभकर्मविवर्जिता इति झ पिण्डेनानेनेति ङ वटतटे इति ज गयायामन्नदाता यः पितरस्तेन पुत्रिणः वटं वटेश्वरं नत्वा पूजयेत् प्रपितामहं
pretarājetyādiḥ, svapitṝṃstathetyantaḥ pāṭho jha pustake nāsti śubhakarmavivarjitā iti jha piṇḍenāneneti ṅa vaṭataṭe iti ja gayāyāmannadātā yaḥ pitarastena putriṇaḥ vaṭaṃ vaṭeśvaraṃ natvā pūjayet prapitāmahaṃ
Di Gayā, orang yang mempersembahkan makanan menjadi seolah-olah “anak” kepada Pitṛ (leluhur); maka setelah menunduk hormat kepada pokok beringin dan kepada Vaṭeśvara (Tuhan Beringin), hendaklah ia memuja prapitāmaha (moyang agung).
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Directs Gayā-śrāddha conduct: anna-dāna, veneration of Vaṭa (banyan) and Vaṭeśvara, and worship directed to prapitāmaha.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Gayā-śrāddha: Vaṭa-Vaṭeśvara Vandana and Prapitāmaha-pūjā","lookup_keywords":["Gayā","vaṭa","Vaṭeśvara","prapitāmaha","piṇḍa-dāna"],"quick_summary":"At Gayā, the food-offerer is treated as a ‘son’ to the pitṛs; therefore one should bow to the banyan and Vaṭeśvara and perform worship aimed at the great-grandfather in the pitṛ-line."}
Concept: Pitṛ-ṛṇa is repaid through tīrtha-śrāddha; the offerer becomes a functional ‘putra’ to pitṛs by sustaining them through anna-dāna and piṇḍa.
Application: During Gayā rites, include respectful vandana to the sacred vaṭa and local īśvara (Vaṭeśvara), then perform pitṛ offerings addressing prapitāmaha in the lineage sequence.
Khanda Section: Shraddha and Pitri-Tirtha Rituals (Gaya-shraddha, Pinda-dana, Pitri-tarpana)
Primary Rasa: Śānta
Secondary Rasa: Bhakti
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Pilgrims at Gayā bow before a massive banyan tree and a Vaṭeśvara shrine, then perform prapitāmaha-focused offerings with piṇḍas and water.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, sacred banyan dominating composition, Vaṭeśvara liṅga shrine beside, pilgrims in white dhotīs offering flowers and water, pitṛs as subtle ancestral forms above, stylized foliage and temple lamp","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, central golden banyan with ornate leaves, Vaṭeśvara shrine with gold embellishment, devotee offering piṇḍa on a plate, rich jewel tones, embossed gold for sacred aura","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear ritual sequence: bowing to vaṭa, offering at Vaṭeśvara, then piṇḍa placement; fine lines, soft colors, didactic layout with ritual objects prominent","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed Gayā riverside/ghāṭ scene, banyan tree with hanging roots, small shrine, pilgrims performing offerings, intricate architectural background and patterned garments"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: This item contains substantial editorial notes/variant readings; sandhi resolved in the main readable pādas: gayāyām + anna-dātā; svapitṝṃs + tathā + iti + antaḥ; vaṭataṭe; natvā.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 115 (Gayā-śrāddha praise); Agni Purana 116 (Gayā-yātrāvidhi: sandhyā, piṇḍa)
FAQs
It prescribes the Gayā-śrāddha sequence: offering food for the Pitṛs, saluting the sacred banyan (vaṭa) and Vaṭeśvara, and performing worship directed to the prapitāmaha (great-grandfather) as part of ancestor-rite procedure.
It exemplifies the Agni Purana’s practical ritual manual dimension—cataloging tīrtha-specific rites (Gayā), deity-site associations (Vaṭeśvara), and lineage-targeted offerings (up to the prapitāmaha), integrating pilgrimage mahatmya with actionable śrāddha protocol.
Feeding/offerings at Gayā are presented as conferring filial fulfillment to the Pitṛs; the act supports ancestral satisfaction and merit-transfer, aiding their well-being and the performer’s purification through proper veneration of the sacred site and its presiding divinity.
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