Shloka 39

Gayā-kṣetra and Phalgu Tīrtha: Sites, Rites, and the Liberation of the Pitṛs

Devanagari script

गयायां न हि तत्स्थानं यत्र तीर्थं न विद्यते / पञ्चक्रोशे गयाक्षेत्रे यत्र तत्र तु पिण्डदः

Transliteration

gayāyāṃ na hi tatsthānaṃ yatra tīrthaṃ na vidyate / pañcakrośe gayākṣetre yatra tatra tu piṇḍadaḥ

Translation

في «غايا» لا يوجد موضعٌ يخلو من «تيرثا» (مَعبرٍ مقدّس). وضمن مدى خمسة «كروشا» من حقل غايا المقدّس، يمكن تقديم «پيندا» (قُرابين الأرزّ للميت) في أي مكان.

Word by Word

• गयायाम्: in Gayā
• गयायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular (feminine)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात; negation particle

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Prayojaka (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (हेतौ/निश्चये); emphatic/causal particle

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; demonstrative ‘that’ (neuter) qualifying स्थानम्

• स्थानम्: place
• स्थानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular (neuter)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय; relative adverb ‘where’

• तीर्थम्: sacred ford; pilgrimage spot
• तीर्थम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular (neuter)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात; negation particle

• विद्यते: exists; is found
• विद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; present, 3rd person singular; आत्मनेपद

• पञ्चक्रोशे: within (the) five-krośa (area)
• पञ्चक्रोशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + क्रोश (प्रातिपदिक); पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + क्रोश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular (masculine)

• गयाक्षेत्रे: in the Gayā-region
• गयाक्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक); गया (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular (neuter)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय; relative adverb ‘where’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय; adverb ‘there’

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Prayojaka (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-निपात; adversative/emphatic particle

• पिण्डदः: giver of piṇḍa (funeral offering)
• पिण्डदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड + द (प्रातिपदिक); पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular (masculine)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sacred geography can universalize ritual eligibility: in Gayā-kṣetra, the entire region functions as tīrtha for piṇḍa offerings.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma anchored in deśa-kāla-niyama (place-time rules) while also revealing the idea of kṣetra as concentrated puṇya-field.

Application: When performing Gayā-śrāddha/piṇḍa-dāna, understand the kṣetra boundary and maintain purity and focus even if exact sub-tīrtha is uncertain.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: kshetra (pilgrimage region)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Gayā-śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna sections; pañcakrośa-kṣetra descriptions in tīrtha lists; Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: remedies for preta-state via Gayā rites

Characters & Entities

• Gayā
• Tīrtha
• Piṇḍa-dāna

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gayā as entirely permeated with tīrtha-power, making it exceptionally fit for ancestor rites like piṇḍa-dāna within its sacred five-krośa region.

How does this verse relate to death rituals and the departed (pitṛs)?

By emphasizing piṇḍa-dāna anywhere within Gayā-kṣetra, the verse supports the idea that offerings for the departed gain heightened efficacy there, aiding the well-being and onward journey of ancestors.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If undertaking śrāddha or piṇḍa-dāna at Gayā, the teaching reassures practitioners that the entire pañcakrośa Gayā-kṣetra is ritually valid—encouraging sincere performance even if one cannot access a specific named tīrtha.