Literature

Even today it is believed that if the ‘śrāddha’ rites for ancestors are performed once in Gaya, they need not be performed again every year thereafter. The ancestors would attain ‘Viṣṇu-pāda’ (Viṣṇu's feet) i.e., salvation through this. These rites may be performed here, not only for one’s parents, but for any of the person’s relatives or friends. Even childless people may perform their own śrāddhas here (page-186 ‘Saartha’). This myth regarding the holiness of Gaya is a continuing myth that has been growing through generations.

अलङ्कारशय्यानिमित्तेन शेषः
पुरारेर्मुरारेर्श्च गात्रानुषङ्गात् ।
त्यजन् सर्पतां भीकरीं सज्जनानां
मनुष्यत्वमानन्ददं संप्रपेदे॥

'Nele’ and ‘Saakshi’ unveil the myths, rites, rituals, and customs related to death, funerals, the world after death, against the realistic backdrop the life in this world. These two works explore the roots of existence, ethics and emotions and lay bare the inner psyche of man, by fusing our realistic world, which is comprehensible through the senses, with the incomprehensible, surrealistic world of myths and mythological characters and situations.

हृदयकुहरमध्ये केवलं ब्रह्ममात्रं

ह्यहमहमिति साक्षादात्मरूपेण भाति |

हृदि विश मनसा स्वं चिन्वता मज्जता वा

पवनचलनरोधादात्मनिष्ठो भव त्वम् ||

प्रीतिं ददाति विपुलां श्रियमातनोति

निर्माति नूत्नसमयं दुरितं धुनोति |

आर्द्रीकरोति हृदयान्यपि देवतानां

कस्मै शुभाय न भवेत्कविता विदोषा ||

जगतीधरजामाता भवतां भव्याय भूयसे भवतु |

कञ्चिदकिञ्चनमपि यद्वीक्षा विदधाति शक्रसमम् ||

कुलीनः क्षुद्राय प्रवर इति धत्ते निजसुतां

अनार्यान् विज्ञाश्च प्रभव इति गायन्ति शतशः |

बलं बाह्वोर्लुप्तं हृतमपि च वाग्वीर्यमरिभिः

दशां देशस्यैतां प्रतिपदमयं ध्यायति जनः ||

सुधाधिक्यं स्पृहेच्छत्रुः

फलाधिक्यं स्पृहेद्भिषक् |

पत्राधिक्यं स्पृहेज्जाया

माता तु त्रितयं स्पृहेत् ||

सत्वरकवितासविता कश्चिद्गौडोSहमम्बिकादत्तः |

गणपतिरिति कविकुलपतिरितिदक्षो दाक्षिणात्योsहम् ||

Kāvyakaṇṭha Vāsiṣṭhagaṇapati-muni was good at composing poems even at a very young age. He excelled at composing poetry at an unimaginable pace. In his early years, he travelled to Navadveepa in Bengal to participate in poetry competitions. Navadveepa, which was full of people belonging to the Navīna-nyāya school of thought, hosted a poetry competition in the year 1823 ACE. (on the jyeṣṭha aṣṭami).

Legends, Stories from Mythologies - Religious Rites, Rituals

As legends, mythological stories, religious rites and rituals intertwine with each other in many instances, I would like to present these under one title.