Shloka 38

Gayā-yātrā-vidhi: Multi-day Śrāddha Route, Pitṛ-devatās, and Akṣaya Merit at Gayā

Devanagari script

कथं पुत्रादयः स्युर्मे विप्राश्चोतुर्विशालकम् / गयायां पिण्डदानेन तव सर्वं भविष्यति

Transliteration

kathaṃ putrādayaḥ syurme viprāścoturviśālakam / gayāyāṃ piṇḍadānena tava sarvaṃ bhaviṣyati

Translation

„Wie werde ich Söhne und dergleichen erlangen, o Brahmanen, und wie werde ich weiten Wohlstand gewinnen? Durch die Darbringung von Piṇḍas in Gayā wird sich all dies für dich erfüllen.“

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• पुत्र-आदयः: sons and others
• पुत्र-आदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’समासान्तेन ‘पुत्रादयः’ = sons and others

• स्युः: may be / would become
• स्युः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• मे: of me / my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन; enclitic form

• विप्राः: brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उतुर्विशालकम्: Viśālaka (name) (with particle)
• उतुर्विशालकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उतु (अव्यय/निपात; पाठभेद/दुष्पाठ-संभाव्य) + विशालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: ‘विशालकम्’ नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘उतु’ निपातः (particle) — पाठे संदिग्धम्

• गयायाम्: in Gayā
• गयायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पिण्ड-दानॆन: by the offering of piṇḍa
• पिण्ड-दानॆन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; पिण्डस्य दानम् = offering of rice-balls

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here as object-complement ‘everything’

• भविष्यति: will happen / will come to be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator/Instructional voice within the ritual discourse (Ācāra-kāṇḍa context; commonly framed as teaching transmitted in the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: At Gayā tīrtha during śrāddha-eligible days (often associated with Gayā-śrāddha season; otherwise as prescribed by priests).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual action at a potent tīrtha yields tangible phala; piṇḍa-dāna functions as a karmic remedy and boon-bestower.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyama under īśvara; sacred geography as a field where dharma is intensified (tīrtha-mahātmyam).

Application: Perform śrāddha/piṇḍa-dāna at Gayā (or with proper substitutes if unable), with śraddhā and correct procedure, dedicating merit to pitṛs and seeking dharmic prosperity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha (pilgrimage site)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Gayā-śrāddha/śrāddha-mahātmyas (general); Garuda Purana: pitṛ-tarpaṇa and piṇḍa-dāna phala passages (general)

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Gayā
• Piṇḍa-dāna

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayā piṇḍa-dāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gayā piṇḍa-dāna as a highly potent rite believed to fulfill major aims—especially lineage-blessings (sons/continuity) and broad prosperity—through ancestral offerings.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey and ancestral rites?

By emphasizing piṇḍa-dāna at Gayā, the verse situates śrāddha as a key dharmic act linked with supporting ancestral satisfaction and the family’s well-being, which in Garuda Purana framing is intertwined with post-death duties and ritual continuity.

Practical application of this teaching today?

Perform śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna with proper guidance and sincerity—especially when undertaking Gayā śrāddha—while also honoring the broader ethic of dharma: care for family, charity, and respect for sacred rites.