गय की कथा

Narada said O Srinjaya, we also heard of the death of king Gaya, the son of Amurtarajas, who for hundred years lived only upon remnants of the libations offered on fire.

Thereat Agni offered to bestow boon on him; and thereupon Gaya asked for this boon saying, "I desire to acquaint myself with the contents of the Vedas, through ascetic penances, observance of Brahmacharya rites, vows and rules and also through the grace of my preceptors. I also desire to acquire inexhaustible wealth without transgressing the duties of the order which I belong to and without any injury to any one else.

I desire also the boon, that everyday I may give away devoutly my wealth to the Brahmanas. I wish also to beget sons upon females of my own order and not upon others.

Let devotion be the ruling feeling of my heart when I shall give away edibles; let also my mind delight in the fountain of righteousness. Let, O Agni, no difficulty overtake me when I engage myself in the performance of pious deeds."

"It shall be so", saying this, the God of Fire, disappeared even there. Then Gaya realising all those boons sought, began to obtain righteous victories over all his enemies.

Then king Gaya celebrated for a full hundred years, various kinds of sacrifices with profuse Dakshinas, as also many other vows as Chaturmasya.

Every year, in a century, the king gave unto the Brahmanas, with due devotion, hundred thousand kine, ten thousand horses.

And for several successive centuries he gave to the Brahmanas hundred thousand Nishkas and sixty-thousand kine, at the time of his rising.

Under every (auspicious) conjunction of the constellations, he gave away presents specified for those occasions. Verily the monarch performed various sacrifices like another Soma or another Angirasa.

Making the earth covered with gold and with pebbles constituted by gems, he gave her away as a present to the Brahmanas during the celebration of his great Horse-sacrifice.

In the sacrifices of Gaya, the stakes were made of gold; and embossed with jewels and precious, they delighted the hearts of all.

Then Gaya gave to the delighted Brahmanas and other creatures, those stakes and many other precious objects of desire.

The various species of creatures inhabiting the oceans, the islands, the rivers male and female, the woods, forests, towns, kingdoms, the paradise and the sky and diverse other beings were gratified with the wealth and riches distributed at Gaya's sacrifice. They then said, "There was no sacrifice like that celebrated by Gaya."

The sacrificial altar of Gaya was thirty yojanas long, twenty-six yojanas high; and it was covered with gold and strewn over with pearls and gems. He gave away this altar and inany garments and ornaments to the Brahmanas.

That liberal-handed monarch gave to the Brahmanas other presents specified in the scriptures. When the sacrifice was completed, their remained twenty-five mountains of edibles and foods, (untouched).

And there also remained many lakes of potions and several stream of juicy drinks flowing charmingly and many garments and rnaments, perfumes and many princes (who were intended to be given away as presents).

Through that great sacrifice of his, Gaya became well-known in the three worlds; and the eternal Banian tree and the holy Brahmalake, owe their origin to that sacrifice.

O Srinjaya, when even such a king, who was far superior in respect of the four cardinal virtues to you and consequently to your son, had to undergo death, you should not lament for your son who performed no sacrifice and made no sacrificial gifts-saying 'O Shvaitya.'