Gaya

Gaya is such a holy place which must be visited by every Sanatani Dharmi to offer respects to one’s ancestors. After death, ancestors yearn for such a soul to be born in the family who can visit Gaya to perform the shraddha or offer tarpana.

This holy Kshetra is situated in the Indian State of Bihar. It is frequented by thousands of devotees who offer pindas at Vishnu Pada daily. Within the garbha-griha of the grand temple made of black basalt stone, there is a sacred shila which has the imprint of the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu. I have never seen a time when the pinda does not fall on Vishnupada except the evening arati.

grhaacchalita maatrena gayaayaam gamanam prati
svargaarohana sopaanam pitrnaam ca pade pade

Anyone who departs from one’s house towards Gaya, how many ever steps he walks, that many generations of his ancestors will ascend svarga. (Vayu Purana)

The origin of Gaya

Gaya Kshetra is well known due to two personalities – Sage Gaya and demon Gaya. Although there is not much information available about the Sage, the description of Gayasura is mentioned in the Vayu Purana in the conversation between Sanat Kumara and Narada Muni which is mentioned below.

Lord Vishnu created Brahma who in turn created varieties of living beings on the order of Lord Vishnu. One of his creations was asuras technically known as demons. One valiant demon named Gayasura surpassed all other demons. He was 125 yojanas tall and 8 yojanas fat. After taking birth, he went to Kolahala Parvata and began undertaking severe penances.

He stood holding his breath for thousands of years. Not knowing the purpose of his tapasya, devatas got scared and approached Lord Brahma to save them. Brahma took them to Lord Shiva who in turn took them to Lord Vishnu in Vaikuntha Loka. They all glorified the Lord and requested Him to give shelter and award fearlessness from the demon.

Lord Narayana ordered them to approach Gayasura immediately while He reached Kolahala Parvata riding Garuda. They all asked Gayasura about the purpose of his tapasya and expressed their satisfaction. Pleased, they offered a benediction to him.

Gayasura requested that he must be counted best amongst the devatas, shilas, brahmanas, mantras and tirthas, to which Lord Narayana agreed. From then on whoever saw Gayasura attained heaven just by his mere darshan. Soon Yamaloka became empty.

How Gaya became a very sacred holy place

This raised a concern to the devatas. Lord Yamaraja approached Lord Brahma along with Indra and requested him to take back the benediction of Gayasura as everyone was achieving heaven easily. Brahma took them to Vaikuntha again. Brahma took shelter of Lord Vishnu and requested Him to address the matter. Lord Narayana asked Lord Brahma to approach Gayasura and ask for his body to perform the Ashwamedha Yajna.

Gayasura agreed to this proposal of Lord Brahma to perform the yajna on his body as his body had become very sacred even than the tirtha kshetras on this planet. He laid down in the South-west direction with his head in the north and feet in the south. He head was in Gaya, navel at Jajpur in Odisha and legs at Pithapuram in Andhra Pradesh.

Lord Brahma constructed a yagashala on his body and began the Yajna along with many prominent sages. While the yajna was in progress, Gayasura’s body began shaking. Lord Brahma ordered Yamaraja to get the shila from his house and place it on the head of Gayasura to stabilize his body. This shila was Dharmavrata in previous life. She was cursed by Marichi Muni to become stone.

Inspite of keeping the shila on his head, Gayasura kept shaking. All the devatas like Shiva also stood on him but to no vain. He continued to shake. Lord Brahma approached Lord Vishnu to make him still so that the yajna could be completed. Lord Vishnu manifested a vigraha of Himself and gave it to Brahma. Inspite of keeping that vigraha on Gayasura, he kept shaking.

Brahma again invoked Lord Narayana’s refuge who manifested Himself as Janardana Pundarika and stood on the shila personally. Lord Brahma also expanded in five forms and stood there as Pitamaha, Phalgavisha, Kedara, Kanakeshwara and Brahma. Lord Ganesha stood on it as an elephant. Lakshmi Devi and other devatas also stood there on the shila. Hence this shila along with the demon became very sacred.

Lord Narayana made Gayasura still with His Gada and hence He came to be known as Adi Gadadhara. Gayasura requested to Lord Vishnu to be pleased with him as he had offered his body for the work of Devatas. Lord Narayana blessed the demon with His presence on his body along with Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma until the end of the universe. He also announced that this place will be known as Gaya Tirtha named after Gayasura. Anyone who offered pinda here, one’s hundred generations will live in the Brahmaloka.

After Lord Brahma completed the yajna, he blessed brahmanas with necessities required to continue performing the yajnas. But the brahmanas here accumulated more paraphernalia as well as resources from the king and began performing such yajna that its smoke reached until the Brahmaloka.

Lord Brahma got angry and cursed those brahmanas to be dissatisfied always. This was because Lord Brahma had given every opulence to those brahmanas, yet they took donation of Yajna samagri and money for its execution.

Being cursed like this, the brahmanas repented their mistake and begged for mercy from Lord Brahma, who in turn blessed them to perform the shraddha karma of people visiting this holy kshetra and meet the daily necessities of their life from such activity.

Holy places to be visited in Gaya

Although there are hundreds of temples here, one must not miss few landmark temples such as

Vishnupada Mandir – one can have darshan of the footprint of Lord Vishnu here

Gaya Gadadhara Temple – The most important temple of Gaya where one can have darshan of Chatur Bhuja Narayana. This temple is also known as Adi Gadadhara Temple

Gayadevi – The protector of Gaya Dham is Gaya Devi another form mother Durga

Phalgu River – A sacred river flowing through this sacred city. Mother Sita had cursed her to flow below the ground untouched by the sins of people in general.

Sita Kunda – A very transcendental place where Mother Sita offered pinda made out of sand ball to Maharaja Dashratha

Mangala Gowri Temple – This is one of the ashta dasha shakti peethas (18) certified by Adi Shankaracharya. The breast of Sati fell here.

Janardana Temple – One of the most important yet highly neglected temple in Gaya Kshetra. Anyone who offers pinda without a till and dipped in milk, will be offered the same pinda by Lord Janardana after one’s death if there is no one in the family to perform the shraddha

Akshaya Vata – This is the sacred tree which bore witness to Mother Sita’s offering the pinda to Maharaja Dasharatha

Bharatashrama – This is the sacred place where Bharata had offered shraddha to Maharaja Dasharatha while Lord Rama was away. Bharata had also established the vigrahas of Lord Ramachandra with Sitadevi and worshiped them.

Preta Shila – This is one of the most important temples where Lord Shiva is personally present. If a pinda is offered in this place, the benefactor is immediately released from the body of preta

Surya Kunda – This sacred lake in the center of the town is the place of Suryadeva

Vigneshwara Temple – This is the place where Lord Ganesha is situated as an elephant

The list is long.

How to reach Gaya?

The best way to reach this holy place and relish it is to join the Ayodhya Kashi Yatra. This comprehensive tour shall cover all the holy places and off-beat temples where no tour operator will take you. When one is on a pilgrimage it is very important to see the temples which must be seen as per the shastras. Forget about all the worries such as stay, timely arrangement of food, etc. Everything is well taken care.

By Air – The nearest Airport is Patna International Airport. From there private taxis or public transport can be taken.

By Rail – The nearest Railway Station is Patna Railway Station. From there private taxis or public transport can be taken.

By Road – This holy city is well connected by road from the major districts in the state. Just that the road condition is not so good.