Shloka 17

Gayā-māhātmya: Gayāsura, Viṣṇu’s Establishment, and the Fruits of Śrāddha at Gayā

Devanagari script

ब्रह्महत्या सुरापानं स्तेयं गुर्वङ्गनागमः / पापं तत्संगजं सर्वं गयाश्राद्धाद्विनश्यति

Transliteration

brahmahatyā surāpānaṃ steyaṃ gurvaṅganāgamaḥ / pāpaṃ tatsaṃgajaṃ sarvaṃ gayāśrāddhādvinaśyati

Translation

ذنوبُ قتلِ البراهمن، وشربِ المُسكِر، والسرقة، وانتهاكِ حرمةِ زوجةِ المعلّم—وكلُّ ما ينشأ من الإثم بسبب مخالطةِ تلك الأفعال—تُمحى بإقامةِ شرادها (Śrāddha) في غايا.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्म-हत्या: killing of a Brahmin
• ब्रह्म-हत्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + हत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः हत्या)

• सुरा-पानम्: drinking liquor
• सुरा-पानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरा (प्रातिपदिक) + पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुरायाः पानम्)

• स्तेयम्: theft
• स्तेयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• गुरु-अङ्गना-आगमः: approaching the teacher’s wife (adultery)
• गुरु-अङ्गना-आगमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गना (प्रातिपदिक) + आगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गुरोः अङ्गनायाः आगमः)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• तत्-सङ्ग-जम्: born of association with that
• तत्-सङ्ग-जम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (तत्सङ्गात्/तत्सङ्गस्य जातम्)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• गया-श्राद्धात्: from (by) the Gayā-śrāddha
• गया-श्राद्धात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (गयायाः/गयायां श्राद्धात्)

• विनश्यति: perishes/is destroyed
• विनश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Tīrtha-śrāddha at Gayā, often aligned with pitṛ-kāla observances and local Gayā-śrāddha procedure.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma-phala and expiation: mahāpātakas and associated sins are destroyed by Gayā-śrāddha.

Vedantic Theme: Karmic impurities (mala) obstruct higher realization; prescribed rites and repentance function as śuddhi to restore dharmic order and fitness for bhakti/jñāna.

Application: Avoid mahāpātakas; if wrongdoing occurs, undertake sincere repentance, restitution, and prescribed prayāścitta; perform śrāddha with faith and ethical reform rather than ritualism alone.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-kṣetra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: lists of mahāpātakas and their consequences in pretakalpa contexts; Garuda Purana: śrāddha-phala sections asserting removal of obstacles for pitṛs and performers

Characters & Entities

• Gayā
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayā Śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gayā Śrāddha as a powerful expiatory rite, capable of destroying even grave sins and the taint arising from association with them.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

By emphasizing Śrāddha at Gayā as sin-destroying, the verse implies removal of karmic obstacles that hinder the departed and supports smoother post-death passage and ancestral upliftment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat Śrāddha and pinda-dāna (especially at Gayā) as acts of responsibility toward ancestors, and avoid actions—and company—that generate severe ethical and karmic consequences.