Shloka 58

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

Devanagari script

इति श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणोत्तरभागे मोहिनीवसुसंवादे गयामाहात्म्ये विष्ण्वादिपदे पिंडदानमाहात्म्यकथनं नाम । षट्चत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

iti śrībṛhannāradīyapurāṇottarabhāge mohinīvasusaṃvāde gayāmāhātmye viṣṇvādipade piṃḍadānamāhātmyakathanaṃ nāma | ṣaṭcatvāriṃśattamo'dhyāyaḥ || 46 ||

Translation

هكذا ينتهي، في القسم اللاحق (أوتّرا-بهاگا) من «شري بṛهَنّاردييا بورانا»، في حوار موهيني مع الفَسُو، ضمن «مهاطميا گايا»، الفصل المعنون «سرد عظمة تقديم البِنْدا (Piṇḍa) عند موضع قدم فيشنو (Viṣṇvādipada)». وهذا هو الفصل السادس والأربعون.

Word by Word

• iti: thus; end-quote marker
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण-चिह्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• śrī-bṛhat-nāradīya-purāṇa-uttara-bhāge: in the latter part of the Śrī Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa
• śrī-bṛhat-nāradīya-purāṇa-uttara-bhāge: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + bṛhat (प्रातिपदिक) + nāradīya (प्रातिपदिक) + purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरणे (locative of place/section)

• mohinī-vasu-saṃvāde: in the dialogue of Mohinī and Vasu
• mohinī-vasu-saṃvāde: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mohinī (प्रातिपदिक) + vasu (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃvāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

• gayā-māhātmye: in the section on the greatness of Gayā
• gayā-māhātmye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gayā (प्रातिपदिक) + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

• viṣṇu-ādi-pade: in the chapter/section beginning with Viṣṇu
• viṣṇu-ādi-pade: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

• piṃḍa-dāna-māhātmya-kathanaṃ: the narration of the greatness of offering piṇḍas
• piṃḍa-dāna-māhātmya-kathanaṃ: Karta (कर्ता/शीर्षक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṃḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक) + kathana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; शीर्षक-रूपेण (as title)

• nāma: called; named
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/नामनिर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः; ‘नाम’ (designation marker: “called”)

• ṣaṭ-catvāriṃśattamaḥ: forty-sixth
• ṣaṭ-catvāriṃśattamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक) + catvāriṃśat (प्रातिपदिक) + -tama (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal adjective)

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (colophon/narratorial closure within Mohinī–Vasu-saṃvāda)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Mohinī
• Vasus
• Gayā
• Viṣṇu
• Viṣṇupada (Viṣṇvādipada)

FAQs

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

It is a colophon marking the completion of the chapter that praises the sacred efficacy (māhātmya) of performing piṇḍadāna at Viṣṇupada in Gayā, framing the rite as a powerful tīrtha-based dharma for ancestors.

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

By centering the rite at Viṣṇu’s footprint (Viṣṇupada), it implicitly connects ancestral duty (śrāddha/piṇḍadāna) with Viṣṇu-oriented sacred geography, encouraging devotion expressed through pilgrimage and offerings.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure is foregrounded—piṇḍadāna as a śrāddha-related act—reflecting applied Kalpa (ritual practice) and Dharmaśāstra-style organization within a Purāṇic tīrtha-māhātmya context.