Shloka 29

The Greatness of Gayā

Gayā-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

समस्ततीर्थप्रवरां द्विजेन गयामियात्तद्गतमानसः सन् । आगत्य तीर्थप्रवरं सुतार्थी गयाशिरो यागपरः पितॄणाम् ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

samastatīrthapravarāṃ dvijena gayāmiyāttadgatamānasaḥ san | āgatya tīrthapravaraṃ sutārthī gayāśiro yāgaparaḥ pitṝṇām || 29 ||

Translation

Ein Zweimalgeborener soll, den Geist auf jenen heiligen Ort gerichtet, nach Gayā gehen—dem vorzüglichsten aller Tīrthas. Dort, an diesem höchsten Pilgerort angekommen, soll der Sohnbegehrende in Gayāśiras mit voller Hingabe die Riten und Opfergaben für die Pitṛs vollziehen.

Word by Word

• समस्ततीर्थप्रवराम्: the best among all pilgrimage-places
• समस्ततीर्थप्रवराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समस्त + तीर्थप्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Acc./2nd), एकवचन; 'समस्तानां तीर्थानां प्रवरा' (श्रेष्ठा) — गयाम् विशेषयति

• द्विजेन: with a Brahmin
• द्विजेन: Sahakarana (सहकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (Instr./3rd), एकवचन; सहार्थे/सहयोगे

• गयाम्: to Gayā
• गयाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Acc./2nd), एकवचन

• इयात्: went/should go (context: went)
• इयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + इ (आगम/augment in desiderative-like? here optative of √i/√yā)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; अर्थः—'गच्छेत्/अगच्छत्' (contextual narrative optative)

• तद्गतमानसः: whose mind was fixed on that (place/goal)
• तद्गतमानसः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् + गत + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'तत्र गतं मानसं यस्य सः'

• सन्: being
• सन्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'being'

• आगत्य: having arrived
• आगत्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव

• तीर्थप्रवरम्: the foremost pilgrimage-place
• तीर्थप्रवरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थप्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.)/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.) (context: place), द्वितीया (Acc./2nd), एकवचन; 'तीर्थेषु प्रवरम्'

• सुतार्थी: desiring a son
• सुतार्थी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुत + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'सुतस्य अर्थी' (desirous of a son)

• गयाशिरः: Gayā-śiras (the head/peak of Gayā)
• गयाशिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc./2nd), एकवचन; 'गयायाः शिरः' (Gayā-śiras, a sacred spot)

• यागपरः: devoted to ritual offering
• यागपरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याग + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'यागे परः' (devoted to sacrifice/rites)

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

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahatmya dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Gaya
• Gayaśiras
• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It elevates Gayā as the foremost tīrtha for ancestral rites, teaching that focused pilgrimage and dedicated Pitṛ-offerings there are exceptionally meritorious and spiritually efficacious.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

While centered on śrāddha and Pitṛ-yajña, it reflects bhakti through single-pointed intention (tadgata-mānasaḥ) and reverent performance of sacred duty at a holy site—devotion expressed as disciplined sacred action.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied: the verse points to properly performed yajña/offerings for Pitṛs at a specific tīrtha (Gayāśiras), linking place, intention, and rite as key components of śrāddha practice.