Shloka 46

Devanagari script

गयाशीर्षाद्दक्षिणतो महानद्याश्च पश्चिमे / तत्स्मृतं चम्पकवनं तत्र पाण्डुशिलास्ति हि

Transliteration

gayāśīrṣāddakṣiṇato mahānadyāśca paścime / tatsmṛtaṃ campakavanaṃ tatra pāṇḍuśilāsti hi

Translation

Südlich von Gayāśīrṣa und westlich des Flusses Mahānadī liegt der Wald, der Campaka genannt wird; wahrlich, dort befindet sich die Pāṇḍu-śilā, der blassweiße heilige Stein.

Word by Word

• गयाशीर्षात्: from Gayāśīrṣa
• गयाशीर्षात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गयाशीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक; गय + शीर्ष)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गयायाः शीर्षम्)

• दक्षिणतः: to the south
• दक्षिणतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (directional adverb)

• महानद्याः: of the great river
• महानद्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महानदी (प्रातिपदिक; महा + नदी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (महती नदी)

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• पश्चिमे: in the west / on the western side
• पश्चिमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तत्: that (place)
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्मृतम्: is remembered/called
• स्मृतम्: None
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

• चम्पकवनम्: the Champaka-grove
• चम्पकवनम्: Pratijna/Predicate nominative (नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चम्पकवन (प्रातिपदिक; चम्पक + वन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चम्पकानां वनम्)

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

• पाण्डुशिला: a pale/white stone
• पाण्डुशिला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डुशिला (प्रातिपदिक; पाण्डु + शिला)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (पाण्ड्वी शिला)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतु-बोधक (emphatic/causal particle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating sacred geography to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-sevā and recognition of sacred loci as supports for pitṛ-kārya and dharmic merit.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as a purifier when aligned with śāstra and performed at sanctified places; external supports aiding inner śraddhā.

Application: When undertaking Gayā pilgrimage, locate the specified sub-tirtha (Campaka forest/Pāṇḍu-śilā) and perform prescribed rites with correct saṅkalpa and purity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: forest (vana) with sacred stone (śilā) landmark

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.83 (Gayā-kṣetra/tīrtha enumeration context)

Characters & Entities

• Gayāśīrṣa
• Mahānadī
• Campaka-vana
• Pāṇḍu-śilā

FAQs

What is the importance of Campaka-vana in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies Campaka-vana as a recognized sacred spot in the Gayā region, marking it as a tirtha-context location connected to ritual geography.

How does this verse relate to Shraddha or pinda-dana at Gaya?

By locating Pāṇḍu-śilā within the Campaka grove near Gayāśīrṣa, the verse anchors specific sites that tradition associates with performing ancestral offerings in the wider Gayā-kṣetra.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If undertaking Shraddha-related pilgrimages, use scriptural place-markers (like Gayāśīrṣa, Mahānadī, and named stones/groves) to follow a tradition-aligned route and perform rites with clarity and reverence.