Shloka 55

Śrāddha as Trans-realm Nourishment; Pitṛ-Conveyance; Piṇḍa-born Body and the ātivāhika; Bhakti-based Release

Devanagari script

उद्धृता ये गयाश्राद्धे ब्रह्मलोकञ्च तैः सह / भजन्ते क्षुत्पिपासा वा न तेषां जायते क्वचित्

Transliteration

uddhṛtā ye gayāśrāddhe brahmalokañca taiḥ saha / bhajante kṣutpipāsā vā na teṣāṃ jāyate kvacit

Translation

Diejenigen, die durch das in Gayā vollzogene Śrāddha emporgehoben werden, gelangen mit ihnen zur Brahmaloka; bei solchen Wesen entstehen Hunger und Durst zu keiner Zeit.

Word by Word

• उद्धृताः: lifted up, delivered
• उद्धृताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-√हृ (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; past passive participle

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; relative pronoun

• गया-श्राद्धे: in the Gayā śrāddha (rite at Gayā)
• गया-श्राद्धे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गयायाः श्राद्धम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative

• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Brahma-world
• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः लोकः), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• तैः: with them / by them
• तैः: Sahakari (Instrument/साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; instrumental

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक अव्यय (postposition-like indeclinable)

• भजन्ते: they partake/enjoy
• भजन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद

• क्षुत्-पिपासा: hunger and thirst
• क्षुत्-पिपासा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पिपासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; collective (hunger and thirst)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; genitive

• जायते: arises, occurs
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• क्वचित्: ever, anywhere, at any time
• क्वचित्: Desha-Kala (Place/Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (indefinite adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Performed at Gayā according to tīrtha-vidhi; commonly linked with ancestral tithi/appropriate śrāddha days.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha at a powerful tīrtha produces specific post-death results—upliftment and higher-loka enjoyment free from bodily privations like hunger and thirst.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala within saṃsāra; loka-attainment as a refined but still conditional fruit, contrasted implicitly with mokṣa.

Application: Undertake Gayā-śrāddha (or equivalent prescribed śrāddha) with faith and correctness, especially for ancestors needing upliftment; treat it as a high-priority dharmic duty.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha (pilgrimage site)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa/Pitr-kalpa sections praising śrāddha fruits and tīrtha-śrāddha (Gayā, Prayāga, etc.)

Characters & Entities

• Gaya
• Shraddha
• Brahmaloka
• Pitris

FAQs

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

This verse states that Gayā Śrāddha has the power to uplift the departed and grant them an exalted post-mortem state (Brahmaloka), freeing them from distress such as hunger and thirst.

How does this verse explain the condition of the departed after proper rites?

It implies that when the departed are properly benefited through Gayā Śrāddha, they no longer suffer basic deprivations (kṣut-pipāsā), indicating a transition from needy preta-like states to a higher, fulfilled realm.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform Śrāddha with faith and correctness—especially prescribed ancestor rites (tarpana, piṇḍa-dāna) and remembrance—treating them as acts of dharma and gratitude toward one’s lineage.