Shloka 29

Tīrtha-vidhi (Procedure for Holy Places) — Prayāgarāja-māhātmya

Devanagari script

उद्यतश्चेद्गयां गंतुं श्राद्धं कृत्वा विधानतः । विधाय कार्पटीवेषं कृत्वा ग्रामप्रदक्षिणाम् ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

udyataścedgayāṃ gaṃtuṃ śrāddhaṃ kṛtvā vidhānataḥ | vidhāya kārpaṭīveṣaṃ kṛtvā grāmapradakṣiṇām || 29 ||

Translation

Wenn jemand sich anschickt, nach Gayā zu gehen, dann—nachdem er das Śrāddha ordnungsgemäß nach Vorschrift vollzogen hat—soll er die Gestalt eines Bettelasketen (kārpaṭī) annehmen und das Dorf in Pradakṣiṇā umrunden.

Word by Word

• udyataḥ: ready (a person)
• udyataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udyata (प्रातिपदिक; √yam/यम्-उद् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) — 'ready/raised'

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/सम्बन्धक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• gayām: to Gayā
• gayām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गन्तव्य-देश (destination)

• gantum: to go
• gantum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम्) (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive) — 'to go'

• śrāddham: śrāddha rite
• śrāddham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• kṛtvā: having performed
• kṛtvā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — 'having done'

• vidhānataḥ: according to injunction
• vidhānataḥ: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तस्)
• Form: तसिल्/तस्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverbial) — 'according to rule'

• vidhāya: having donned/arranged
• vidhāya: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhā (धा) (धातु) + vi-
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — 'having arranged/put on'

• kārpaṭī-veṣam: a mendicant/patchwork garb
• kārpaṭī-veṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārpaṭī (प्रातिपदिक) + veṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (कārpaṭī-रूपः वेषः)

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — 'having done'

• grāma-pradakṣiṇām: circumambulation of the village
• grāma-pradakṣiṇām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grāma (प्रातिपदिक) + pradakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ग्रामस्य प्रदक्षिणा)

Speaker

Narada (teaching the Sanatkumara brothers in the Uttara-Bhaga tīrtha-māhātmya context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Gayā

FAQs

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

It frames Gayā-yātrā as a disciplined, dharma-grounded act: first complete the prescribed Śrāddha, then adopt humility (kārpaṭī-veṣa) and perform grāma-pradakṣiṇā, emphasizing purification and reverence before entering a major ancestral tīrtha.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through humble conduct and faithful observance of injunctions—approaching the sacred journey with renunciant simplicity and respectful ritual order, rather than mere travel or display.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is central: “vidhānataḥ” signals adherence to Śrāddha-vidhi, and the verse also encodes dharmic pilgrimage protocol (yātrā-niyama) through prescribed dress and circumambulation.