Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

रथमार्गं गयतीर्थे दृष्ट्वा रुद्रपदादिके / कालेश्वरं च केदारं पितॄणामनृणो भवेत्

Transliteration

rathamārgaṃ gayatīrthe dṛṣṭvā rudrapadādike / kāleśvaraṃ ca kedāraṃ pitṝṇāmanṛṇo bhavet

Translation

Wer den Ratha-mārga am heiligen Gayā-tīrtha schaut und Stätten wie Rudrapada sowie auch Kāleśvara und Kedāra erblickt, wird schuldenfrei gegenüber den Pitṛs (Ahnen).

Word by Word

• रथमार्गम्: the chariot-path
• रथमार्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object of seeing)

• गयतीर्थे: at the Gayā pilgrimage-place
• गयतीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (location)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• रुद्रपदादिके: at Rudrapada and the like (places)
• रुद्रपदादिके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्रपद + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण; ‘आदि’समासान्त (etc.)

• कालेश्वरम्: Kāleśvara
• कालेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• केदारम्: Kedāra
• केदारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केदार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

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

• अनृणः: free from debt
• अनृणः: Karta-predicative (Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन् + ऋण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (predicate adjective)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During Gayā pilgrimage; often coordinated with pitṛ-pakṣa/new-moon or locally prescribed tithis

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-darśana as dharmic act: visiting prescribed stations at Gayā fulfills pitṛ-kārya and removes pitṛ-ṛṇa.

Vedantic Theme: Sacred geography as a support (ālambana) for devotion and dharma; karma becomes purifying when aligned with śāstra and īśvara-smṛti.

Application: Follow traditional Gayā-kṣetra itinerary with discipline, humility, and offerings; treat pilgrimage as service to ancestors rather than tourism.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-complex

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana lists of Gayā-kṣetra tīrthas and their fruits (phala-śruti); Garuda Purana śrāddha sections prescribing tīrtha-śrāddha and pitṛ-tarpaṇa

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Gayā-tīrtha
• Rudrapada
• Kāleśvara
• Kedāra

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayā-tīrtha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gayā-tīrtha (along with its sacred spots like Rudrapada) as a place whose darśana helps discharge one’s obligation to the Pitṛs, i.e., becoming anṛṇa (free of ancestral debt).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or after-death duties?

Rather than describing the soul’s route directly, it emphasizes the living person’s dharma toward ancestors: pilgrimage and darśana at specific tīrthas are upheld as supportive acts connected with Pitṛ-satisfaction and śrāddha-oriented responsibility.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain Pitṛ-dharma through sincere ancestral rites (śrāddha/tarpaṇa) and, where possible, undertake or support pilgrimage/darśana to traditional Pitṛ-related tīrthas—treating it as an ethical duty of gratitude and continuity.