Shloka 16

The Greatness of Offering Piṇḍas at Viṣṇvādipada (Viṣṇupada) — Gayā Śrāddha Procedure and Fruits

Devanagari script

साक्षाद्गयाशिरस्तत्र फल्गुतीर्थाश्रयं कृतम् । क्रौंचपादात्फल्गुतीर्थँ यावत्साक्षाद्गयाशिरः ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

sākṣādgayāśirastatra phalgutīrthāśrayaṃ kṛtam | krauṃcapādātphalgutīrthaṃ yāvatsākṣādgayāśiraḥ || 16 ||

Translation

هناك، إنّ غيَاشيراس (Gayāśiras) نفسه مُقامٌ مباشرةً ملجأً لفالغو تيرثا (Phalgu-tīrtha). ومن كراونتشا-بادا (Krauñca-pāda) إلى فالغو تيرثا يمتدّ ذلك الغيَاشيراس الظاهر بعينه.

Word by Word

• साक्षात्: directly, manifestly
• साक्षात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात/क्रियाविशेषण (directly/manifestly)

• गया-शिरः: Gayāśiras (Gayā’s peak)
• गया-शिरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: गयायाः शिरः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• फल्गु-तीर्थ-आश्रयम्: the refuge/abode of Phalgu-tīrtha
• फल्गु-तीर्थ-आश्रयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल्गु (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (बहुपद): फल्गुतीर्थस्य आश्रयः; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृतम्: (is) made/constituted
• कृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) प्रयुक्तं विधेयवत्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (contextual predicate)

• क्रौञ्च-पादात्: from Krauñca’s foot (place-name)
• क्रौञ्च-पादात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: क्रौञ्चस्य पादः; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• फल्गु-तीर्थम्: Phalgu-tīrtha
• फल्गु-तीर्थम्: Karta/Karma (प्रसङ्गानुसार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल्गु (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• यावत्: up to, as far as
• यावत्: Avadhi (अवधि/Limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक (up to/as far as)

• साक्षात्: directly
• साक्षात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात/क्रियाविशेषण

• गया-शिरः: Gayāśiras
• गया-शिरः: Avadhi (अवधि/Limit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Gayāśiras
• Phalgu-tīrtha
• Krauñca-pāda

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It identifies the Gayāśiras region as the immediate sacred support of Phalgu-tīrtha, marking the area as a highly potent kṣetra where tīrtha-snāna and śrāddha-related merit is intensified.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By mapping the holy geography of Gayā and Phalgu as a manifest sacred presence, the verse supports bhakti expressed through tīrtha-yātrā, reverent remembrance, and ritual acts performed with devotion and faith.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It most directly relates to Kalpa (ritual procedure) by locating the proper tīrtha boundaries for rites such as snāna and śrāddha; the verse functions as a kṣetra-nirdeśa (ritual-geographical specification).