Shloka 7

Tīrtha-māhātmya and Rudra’s Samanvaya Teaching

Maṅkaṇaka Episode

Devanagari script

गयातीर्थं परं गुह्यं पितॄणां चाति वल्लभम् / कृत्वा पिण्डप्रदानं तु न भूयो जायते नरः

Transliteration

gayātīrthaṃ paraṃ guhyaṃ pitṝṇāṃ cāti vallabham / kṛtvā piṇḍapradānaṃ tu na bhūyo jāyate naraḥ

Translation

Gayā-tīrtha ist höchst heilig und zutiefst verborgen, den Pitṛ (Ahnengeistern) überaus lieb. Wer dort die piṇḍa-Gabe darbringt, wird nicht wiedergeboren.

Word by Word

• गया-तीर्थम्: the Gayā pilgrimage-place
• गया-तीर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गयायाः तीर्थम्)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गया-तीर्थम्)

• गुह्यम्: secret, sacred
• गुह्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गया-तीर्थम्)

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

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

• अति: very, exceedingly
• अति: Upapada (उपपद/विशेषण-प्रवर्धक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (intensifier)

• वल्लभम्: dear, beloved
• वल्लभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गया-तीर्थम्)

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-Kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having done’

• पिण्ड-प्रदानम्: offering of the funeral rice-ball
• पिण्ड-प्रदानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पिण्डस्य प्रदानम्)

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अवधारण (but/indeed)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Kala/Avadhi (काल/आवृत्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक (again)

• जायते: is born
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s tīrtha-māhātmya teaching as received from the divine discourse tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Gayā
• Pitṛs
• Piṇḍa-pradāna
• Tīrtha
• Śrāddha

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

It does so indirectly: by stating that piṇḍa-offering at Gayā ends rebirth, the verse points to mokṣa as freedom from saṃsāra—realized when karmic bonds are exhausted and the Self is no longer identified with repeated embodiment.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes tīrtha-sevā and pitṛ-śrāddha (piṇḍa-pradāna) as purifying disciplines. In Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis, such dharmic rites support inner purification (citta-śuddhi), which becomes the foundation for higher yoga and knowledge.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

While neither Śiva nor Viṣṇu is named here, the teaching reflects the Purana’s integrative approach: liberation is supported by orthodox dharma (śrāddha, tīrtha) and culminates in mokṣa—compatible with both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva soteriology as presented across the Kurma Purana.