Shloka 15

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मज्ञानं गयाश्राद्धं गोगृहे मरणं तथा / वासः पुंसां कुरुक्षेत्रे मुक्तिरेषा चतुर्विधा

Transliteration

brahmajñānaṃ gayāśrāddhaṃ gogṛhe maraṇaṃ tathā / vāsaḥ puṃsāṃ kurukṣetre muktireṣā caturvidhā

Translation

Die Erkenntnis Brahmans, das in Gayā vollzogene Śrāddha, das Sterben im Kuhstall und das Verweilen in Kurukṣetra—dies gilt als vierfacher Weg zur Befreiung (mokṣa).

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मज्ञानम्: knowledge of Brahman
• ब्रह्मज्ञानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः ज्ञानम्)

• गया-श्राद्धम्: Śrāddha at Gayā
• गया-श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (गयायां/गयायाः श्राद्धम्)

• गो-गृहे: in a cowshed
• गो-गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गवां गृहे)

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अन्वयार्थे (and/also/likewise)

• वासः: dwelling/residence
• वासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• पुंसाम्: of men
• पुंसाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• कुरुक्षेत्रे: in Kurukṣetra
• कुरुक्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कुरूणां क्षेत्रे)

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• एषा: this
• एषा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चतुर्विधा: fourfold
• चतुर्विधा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः (चत्वारः विधाः यस्याः सा)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinātā-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Performed at Gayā during prescribed śrāddha periods (often linked with pitṛ-pakṣa and tīrtha-śrāddha conventions).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Fourfold means to liberation: brahmajñāna, Gayā-śrāddha, death in a cow-shed, and residence at Kurukṣetra.

Vedantic Theme: Jñāna as direct liberator, with auxiliary purificatory/merit-bearing supports (sādhana-catuṣṭaya via śuddhi and saṃskāra) that remove obstacles to realization.

Application: Cultivate brahmajñāna through study and contemplation; perform śrāddha at Gayā for ancestors; honor cows and sacred spaces; undertake pilgrimage/residence in dharma-kṣetras with disciplined conduct.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-kṣetra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-khaṇḍa): Gayā-māhātmya and piṇḍadāna-phala passages; Garuda Purana: discussions of antima-saṃskāra and śrāddha as uplift for pretas

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Gayā
• Śrāddha
• Cow (go)
• Kurukṣetra
• Mukti

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayā śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse lists Gayā śrāddha among the four renowned means connected with liberation, highlighting Gayā as a highly efficacious place for ancestral rites (pitṛ-kārya) and spiritual merit.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul toward liberation?

It presents both inner realization (brahma-jñāna) and sacred supports (kṣetra-vāsa, śrāddha, and an auspicious manner/place of death) as complementary avenues that can culminate in mukti.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize self-knowledge and dharmic living, and—where culturally appropriate—honor ancestors through śrāddha and pilgrimage to sacred sites associated with purification and merit.