Shloka 62

Gayā-kṣetra and Phalgu Tīrtha: Sites, Rites, and the Liberation of the Pitṛs

Devanagari script

पुण्डरीकं विष्णुलोकं प्राप्नुयात्कोटितीर्थगः / या सा वैतरणी नाम त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता

Transliteration

puṇḍarīkaṃ viṣṇulokaṃ prāpnuyātkoṭitīrthagaḥ / yā sā vaitaraṇī nāma triṣu lokeṣu viśrutā

Translation

Wer in einem Krore heiliger Furten gebadet hat, erlangt Puṇḍarīka, die Welt Viṣṇus. Jener Fluss, Vaitaraṇī genannt, ist in allen drei Welten berühmt.

Word by Word

• पुण्डरीकम्: Puṇḍarīka (a sacred realm/place)
• पुण्डरीकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म (goal)

• विष्णुलोकम्: Viṣṇu's world
• विष्णुलोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णुलोक (प्रातिपदिक; विष्णु + लोक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः लोकः)

• प्राप्नुयात्: should attain
• प्राप्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कोटितीर्थगः: one who has visited countless sacred fords
• कोटितीर्थगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि-तीर्थ-ग (प्रातिपदिक; कोटि + तीर्थ + ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कोटीनां तीर्थानां गः = तीर्थगः, 'one who has gone to myriad tīrthas')

• या: which (she)
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (relative pronoun)

• सा: that (she)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; निर्देशार्थ (correlative: 'that')

• वैतरणी: Vaitaraṇī (river)
• वैतरणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैतरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नदी-नाम

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः; संज्ञासूचक-अव्यय (particle indicating appellation: 'by name')

• त्रिषु: in the three
• त्रिषु: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; विशेषणं लोकेषु

• लोकेषु: worlds
• लोकेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• विश्रुता: well-known
• विश्रुता: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + श्रु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकर्मणि/भावे; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणं वैतरण्याः

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-sevā and snāna, when aligned with Viṣṇu-oriented aspiration, yields Viṣṇuloka attainment.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-upāsanā leading to sālokya/sāmīpya-type fruition (Viṣṇuloka); Purāṇic valuation of tīrtha as a catalyst for inner purification.

Application: Undertake tīrtha-snāna with restraint, japa, and Viṣṇu-smaraṇa; treat pilgrimage as a vow (niyama) rather than tourism.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: nadī (sacred river/ford)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana tīrtha-mahātmyas and Vaitaraṇī mentions in śrāddha contexts; Nearby Gayā-focused verses linking tīrtha acts to pitṛ uplift

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Viṣṇuloka
• Vaitaraṇī

FAQs

What is the importance of Vaitaraṇī in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse presents Vaitaraṇī as a universally famed threshold in the post-death journey, a key landmark in the Purāṇic map of the afterlife.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By linking extraordinary sacred merit (koṭi-tīrtha) with reaching Viṣṇu’s realm and by naming Vaitaraṇī as renowned in all three worlds, it frames the afterlife path as structured and morally/ritually conditioned.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat pilgrimage and religious practice as inner purification rather than tourism—use tīrtha visits, charity, and dharma to cultivate a Viṣṇu-oriented life, which the text associates with auspicious post-death destiny.