Ayodhya

"He (Shiva), having crossed Prayāga and the great city Ayodhyā."

"And Fedai Khan Subedar built a mosque at Ram Darbar and strongly laid the foundation of Islam there. There was a mound opposite to it. King Ram Chandra, being pleased with the conquest of Lanka, bestowed it upon his loyal friend Hanuman. Then in the Baburi mosque, where there was Sītā Rasoi, started the worship openly. Officers, after taking bribe (silver shoes) , became their loyal servants. No one took notice. First the saying of Shaikh Ali Haji was true to the situation—“The butkhana on the way that was considered a bad place became the abode of God!” Thereafter, a drastic change occurred—mosques were pulled down and temples were constructed there. But there was a veil of neglect on our eyes and we remained in slumber."

"All the temples of Ayodhya were turned into mosques by the Sultans of the past."

"Virtuous Avantikā, i.e. Ujjaina is the foot of Vishnu and Kāñchīpurī is His waist. Yogis consider Dvarakā His navel and Haridvāra His heart. Mathurā is considered His neck and Varanasī the tip of His nose. Ayodhyā is the head of Vishnu. Sages call all these the limbs of Vishnu."

"Rare are the opportunities to reside at Ayodhyā, to bathe in the Sarayū river, to visit the birthplace of Rāma and to have the darśana of Lord Rāma. Even if one remembers the auspicious pilgrim city Ayodhyā, he is bound not to be born till the deluge."

"He, who dwells on the bank of the Sarayū river and lives on vegetables, roots and fruits and feeds one Vipra, will get the benefit of feeding one crore Vipras."

"All sins of those persons, who after being purified by bathing on the Sarayū’s bank visit the janma-bhūmi, are effaced, by its mere glimpse, for hundreds, thousands and crores of kalpas."

"Having reached the temple of Rāma men, who have his darśana (glimpse) or even his rememberance, are liberated from the charana-trayam, i.e. birth, life and death."

"By a darśana of the Janma-bhūmi or remembrance of the Rāma-nāma or bathing in the Sarayū river all sins are destroyed."

"He, who remembers the sacred Ayodhyā, is blessed with wealth, reputation, long life, virtues and destruction of sins."

"The water of the Sarayū river at Ayodhyā provides bliss, good luck and health. He, who listens to the story of the birth of Rāma or has a glimpse (of him or his temple or idol) or remembers him, is liberated from all sins."

"Then one should go to the Janma-sthana, which is saluted by sages and gods. By seeing which, one is liberated from all miseries and the cycle of birth. Without donation or penance or pilgrimage or sacrifices."

"If people fast on the Rāmanavamī day, bathe in the Sarayū and make donation, they are liberated from the bound of birth."

"By a mere glimpse of the Janma-bhūmi one gets that much virtue which is accumulated by donating a thousand Kapilā cows everyday. By a mere glimpse of the Janma-bhūmi one gets that much virtue which is obtained by donating a thousand crore gems to Brāhmanas."

"By a mere glimpse of the Janma-bhūmi one obtains that much virtue which is gathered by the devotion to mother, father and the Guru."

"Thus, having granted boon to gods Vishnu contemplated about his place of birth in the humanform... On Sarjú’s bank, of ample size, The happy realm of Kosal lies, With fertile length of fair champaign And flocks and herds and wealth of grain. There, famous in her old renown, Ayodhyā stands, the royal town, In bygone ages built and planned By sainted Manu’s princely hand. Imperial seat! her walls extend Twelve measured leagues from end to end, And three in width from side to side, With square and palace beautified. Her gates at even distance stand; Her ample roads are wisely planned."

"Waves of the Sarayū river illuminated the heaven-like Ayodhyā which was the capital of the kings of the solar dynasty with its water looking like the shine of the moon of the autumn season."

"With gorgeous arches, castle-door-bars and with amazingly built houses, that city is magnificent and auspicious one, and full with thousands of provincial kings too, and king Dasharatha, a coequal of Indra, indeed ruled that city which is true (Satya) to its name."

"During the rule of Darshan Singh no Azaan was ever held and the cow-slaughter was stopped. Perhaps during the reign of Muhammad Ali Shah the Azaan and cow-slaughter were allowed. At last, the tussle went to such an extent that except the mosque adjacent to Hanuman-garhi, the Hindus made Butkhana even in the corridor of the Baburi mosque where Sītā Rasoi existed. The Hindus damaged Ram Ghat mosque also and in its corridor constructed a temple. They started placing garbage in the mosque and constructed magnificent temple from the bricks and stones after digging hundreds of graves of the Muslims."

"That which cannot be conquered by sins is Ayodhyā."

"This Satyā is the primeval city of Vishnu and its merit is described here."

"After taking bath in the water of Sarayū they visit Janmasthāna. You, too, should make a pilgrimage for the termination of all sins."

"After having taken bath in the Sarayū river and by the darsana of Janmasthāna; devotees of Rāmachandra are liberated from sins. Even Brahmā is not competent to describe the importance of the Janma-bhūmi. On the bright ninth day of the Chaitra month by the darsana of Janma-bhūmi one gets liberated from millions (crores) of sins and goes to the supreme ‘loka’ (world) where he is never in distress."

"By the merit of visit to Janmabhūmi, the darśana of the idol of Lord Rāma, bathing in the Sarayū river and the impact of the festival of the Rāmanavamī (the birthday of Rāma)all went to the Santanaka Loka in a plane."

"I made a visit to the Janma-bhūmi along with gods."

"O best of sages! I made a darśana on the Rāmanavamī day."

"Ayodhyā brilliantly shines with its three letters — ‘a’ denoting Brahmā, ‘ya’ Vishnu and ‘dh’ Rudra."

"O King! Ayodhyā, Mathurā, and Dvārakā are three cities which provide Dharma, Artha, Kāma and Moksha and are dear to Hari."

"One gets salvation by remembering Kr+ishna at Dvārakā, Rāma at Ayodhyā and Hari at Mathurā."

"Ayodhyā fulfils all desires and is revered among glorified cities. It is protected by Rāma himself, the embodiment of wisdom."

"Whatever merit one gets by dwelling at Prabhasa and Kurukshetra for hundreds of years is obtained by living at Ayodhyā for half nimish (1/3 second)."

"It is difficult to recite the names of Rāma, the Lord of Ayodhyā, Keśava of Mathurā and Krishna, the resident of Dvārakā."

"One gets the most sacred post by reciting the name at Mathurā, hearing the names of Dvārakā and by a glimpse of Ayodhyā."

"To the north-east of that spot is the place of the birth of Rāma. This holy spot of the birth is said to be the means of achieving salvation etc. It is said that the place of birth is situated to the east of Vighneśvara, to the north of VasisTha and to the west of Laumaśa."

"Only by visiting it a man can get rid of staying (frequently) in a womb (i.e. rebirth). There is no need for making charitable gifts, performing penance or sacrifices or undertaking pilgrimages to holy spots. On the Navamī day the man should observe the holy vow. By the power of the holy bath and charitable gifts, he is liberated from the bondage of births."

"By visiting the place of birth, one attains that benefit which is obtained by the person who gives thousands of tawny-coloured cows everyday. By seeing the place of birth, one attains the merit of ascetics performing penance in hermitage, of thousands of Rājasūya sacrifices and Agnihotra sacrifices performed every year."

"By observing sacred rites, particularly at the place of birth, he obtains the merit of the holy men endowed with devotion to their mother and father as well as preceptors."

"After having worshipped formally, one should go to the Janma-bhūmi which is in the east from the Vighneśvara, in the north from VasishTha, in the West from Lomaśa. It is called Janmasthāna."

"It is at a distance of 500 dhanush from Lomaśa, 1008 dhanush from Vighnesvara and 100 dhanush from Unmatta. At the centre a royal house was built by Brahmā."

"It is called Janmasthāna and gives all fruits like liberation, by glancing at which, a man overcomes the stay in the womb, i.e. birth without any donation, penance, pilgrimage and sacrifice."

"He, who fasts on the (Rāma) Navamī, takes bath and makes a donation, is liberated from all perils of birth by having a glance at the Janmasthāna."

"By glancing at the Janma-bhūmi one gets the fruit of donating a thousand Kapilā (tawny colored) cows. By a glance at the Janma-bhūmi, all the sins gathered in thousands of births are liquidated."

"By a glance at the Janma-bhūmi, one gets all the merits obtained by devotion to mother, father and elderly people. By a glance at the Janma-bhūmi, one gets all merits of those who serve teachers, render service in pilgrim places, tread the path of truthfulness and follow their dharma."

"Those who perform penances in hermitages and perform a thousand Rajasūya sacrifices and Agnihotra, obtain equal merit by glancing at the Janmasthāna."

"Then he (the pilgrim) should go to the birthplace (of Rāma) which is worshipped by sages and gods. It is situated in the east from Vighneśvara (temple), in the north from VasishTha and in the west from Lomaśa. It is 500 dhanush above Lomaśa site and 1008 dhanush from Vighneśvara and 100 dhanush from Unmatta (Mattagajendra)."

"At the centre is the royal palace built by Brahmā. It is called Janmasthāna and gives salvation, etc. and the mere sight of which releases a man from returning to the mother’s womb without donation, penance, pilgrimage and sacrifice."

"By glancing at the Janma-bhūmi, one gets the fruit of donating a thousand Kapilā cows. By a glance at the Janma-bhūmi, all the sins gathered in thousands of births are liquidated. By a glance at the Janma-bhūmi, one gets all the merits obtained by his devotion to mother, father and elderly people."

"By a glance at the Janma-bhūmi, one gets all merits of those who serve their teachers, render service in pilgrim places, tread the path of truthfulness and follow their dharma."

"If a man specially glances at the Janmasthāna, following traditions and becomes wan and cleans dust, he is liberated from the peril of rebirth after glancing at the birthplace."

"Guru Nanak... reached Ayodhya... He gazed at Rama for darsana and then left overjoyed and earning his merit."