Shloka 29

The Greatness of Gayā

Gayā-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

समस्ततीर्थप्रवरां द्विजेन गयामियात्तद्गतमानसः सन् । आगत्य तीर्थप्रवरं सुतार्थी गयाशिरो यागपरः पितॄणाम् ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

samastatīrthapravarāṃ dvijena gayāmiyāttadgatamānasaḥ san | āgatya tīrthapravaraṃ sutārthī gayāśiro yāgaparaḥ pitṝṇām || 29 ||

Translation

সমস্ত তীর্থের মধ্যে শ্রেষ্ঠ গয়ায় দ্বিজের মন স্থির করে গমন করা উচিত। সেই শ্রেষ্ঠ তীর্থে পৌঁছে, পুত্রকামনায় গয়াশিরে পিতৃদের উদ্দেশে বিধিমতে যাগ-ক্রিয়া সম্পূর্ণ সমর্পণে করা উচিত।

Word by Word

• समस्ततीर्थप्रवराम्: the best among all pilgrimage-places
• समस्ततीर्थप्रवराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समस्त + तीर्थप्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Acc./2nd), एकवचन; 'समस्तानां तीर्थानां प्रवरा' (श्रेष्ठा) — गयाम् विशेषयति

• द्विजेन: with a Brahmin
• द्विजेन: Sahakarana (सहकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (Instr./3rd), एकवचन; सहार्थे/सहयोगे

• गयाम्: to Gayā
• गयाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Acc./2nd), एकवचन

• इयात्: went/should go (context: went)
• इयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + इ (आगम/augment in desiderative-like? here optative of √i/√yā)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; अर्थः—'गच्छेत्/अगच्छत्' (contextual narrative optative)

• तद्गतमानसः: whose mind was fixed on that (place/goal)
• तद्गतमानसः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् + गत + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'तत्र गतं मानसं यस्य सः'

• सन्: being
• सन्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'being'

• आगत्य: having arrived
• आगत्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव

• तीर्थप्रवरम्: the foremost pilgrimage-place
• तीर्थप्रवरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थप्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.)/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.) (context: place), द्वितीया (Acc./2nd), एकवचन; 'तीर्थेषु प्रवरम्'

• सुतार्थी: desiring a son
• सुतार्थी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुत + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'सुतस्य अर्थी' (desirous of a son)

• गयाशिरः: Gayā-śiras (the head/peak of Gayā)
• गयाशिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc./2nd), एकवचन; 'गयायाः शिरः' (Gayā-śiras, a sacred spot)

• यागपरः: devoted to ritual offering
• यागपरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याग + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'यागे परः' (devoted to sacrifice/rites)

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahatmya dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Gaya
• Gayaśiras
• Pitṛs

FAQs

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

It elevates Gayā as the foremost tīrtha for ancestral rites, teaching that focused pilgrimage and dedicated Pitṛ-offerings there are exceptionally meritorious and spiritually efficacious.

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

While centered on śrāddha and Pitṛ-yajña, it reflects bhakti through single-pointed intention (tadgata-mānasaḥ) and reverent performance of sacred duty at a holy site—devotion expressed as disciplined sacred action.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied: the verse points to properly performed yajña/offerings for Pitṛs at a specific tīrtha (Gayāśiras), linking place, intention, and rite as key components of śrāddha practice.