Shloka 81
The Greatness of Gayā
Gayā-Māhātmya
फल्गुतीर्थं च विख्यातं बहुमुलफलान्वितम् । कौशिकी च नदी यत्र श्राद्धं तत्राक्षयं स्मृतम् ॥ ८१ ॥
phalgutīrthaṃ ca vikhyātaṃ bahumulaphalānvitam | kauśikī ca nadī yatra śrāddhaṃ tatrākṣayaṃ smṛtam || 81 ||
Phalgutīrtha ist berühmt, reich an vielen Wurzeln und Früchten. Und wo der Fluss Kausikī fließt, gilt das dort vollzogene Śrāddha als Spender unvergänglichen Verdienstes.
Narada (in dialogue tradition with the Sanatkumara brothers; Uttara-Bhaga tirtha narration)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It declares Phalgutirtha and the Kausiki river-region as a potent tirtha where ancestral rites (Śrāddha) generate akṣaya—imperishable, inexhaustible—spiritual merit, emphasizing the purifying power of place in dharmic practice.
Though centered on Śrāddha, it supports bhakti-oriented dharma by honoring lineage and the Pitṛs as part of a life aligned with sacred order; pilgrimage and ritual performed with faith are presented as enduring offerings, compatible with Vishnu-bhakti culture of the Purana.
It highlights ritual application (kalpa/śrauta-smārta practice) through the rule that performing Śrāddha at a specific tirtha yields akṣaya-phala—practical guidance on where rites are especially efficacious.