Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

गयायां पितृरूपेण देवदेवो जनार्दनः / तं दृष्ट्वा पुण्डरीकाक्षं मुच्यते वै ऋणत्रयात्

Transliteration

gayāyāṃ pitṛrūpeṇa devadevo janārdanaḥ / taṃ dṛṣṭvā puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ mucyate vai ṛṇatrayāt

Translation

في غايا يقيم جناردانا، إلهُ الآلهة، في صورة الآباء «الپِتْرِ» (Pitṛ). ومن يشاهد الربَّ ذا العينين كاللوتس يتحرر حقًّا من الدَّين الثلاثي.

Word by Word

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

• पितृरूपेण: in the form of the ancestors
• पितृरूपेण: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; साधन/प्रकार (instrumental of manner)

• देवदेवः: the god of gods
• देवदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव (appositional)

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; देवदेवस्य समानाधिकरण (apposition)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• पुण्डरीकाक्षम्: the lotus-eyed (Lord)
• पुण्डरीकाक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीक + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तं इति सर्वनामस्य विशेषण (epithet in apposition)

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (Nipata/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• ऋणत्रयात्: from the three debts
• ऋणत्रयात्: Apadana (Source/Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋण + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative of separation)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda / Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Gayā-śrāddha during pilgrimage; commonly linked with pitṛ-pakṣa or auspicious tithi at Gayā

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Darśana of Janārdana-as-Pitṛs at Gayā dissolves ṛṇa-traya (debts to Devas, Ṛṣis, Pitṛs) through proper reverence and ancestral obligation.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as antaryāmin and as the support of all relations; grace (anugraha) removes bondage when dharma is fulfilled.

Application: Undertake Gayā pilgrimage with śraddhā; perform duties to Devas/Ṛṣis/Pitṛs (worship, study, progeny/śrāddha) and cultivate Viṣṇu-bhakti.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-khaṇḍa passages praising Gayā as Pitṛ-tīrtha and Viṣṇu’s presence there; Garuda Purana discussions of ṛṇa-traya and its discharge via yajña, svādhyāya, prajā, śrāddha

Characters & Entities

• Gayā
• Janārdana (Vishnu)
• Pitṛs (forefathers)
• Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies Gayā as a sacred place where Vishnu is present as the Pitṛs; seeing Him there is said to remove the burden of the threefold debt, making Gayā central to ancestor-focused rites.

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

By emphasizing freedom from ṛṇa-traya through devotion to Vishnu-as-Pitṛ at Gayā, the verse links proper fulfillment of ancestral and dharmic obligations with spiritual release, which supports a favorable post-death course.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Honor parents and ancestors through śrāddha/tarpaṇa (as appropriate to one’s tradition), live responsibly to discharge duties, and cultivate Vishnu-bhakti—seeing duty and devotion as complementary.