Shloka 46
Gayā-kṣetra and Phalgu Tīrtha: Sites, Rites, and the Liberation of the Pitṛs
गयाशीर्षाद्दक्षिणतो महानद्याश्च पश्चिमे / तत्स्मृतं चम्पकवनं तत्र पाण्डुशिलास्ति हि
gayāśīrṣāddakṣiṇato mahānadyāśca paścime / tatsmṛtaṃ campakavanaṃ tatra pāṇḍuśilāsti hi
To the south of Gayāśīrṣa and to the west of the Mahānadī lies the forest remembered as Campaka; indeed, the Pāṇḍu-śilā, the pale sacred stone, is there.
Lord Vishnu (narrating sacred geography to Garuda)
Concept: Tīrtha-sevā and recognition of sacred loci as supports for pitṛ-kārya and dharmic merit.
Vedantic Theme: Karma as a purifier when aligned with śāstra and performed at sanctified places; external supports aiding inner śraddhā.
Application: When undertaking Gayā pilgrimage, locate the specified sub-tirtha (Campaka forest/Pāṇḍu-śilā) and perform prescribed rites with correct saṅkalpa and purity.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: forest (vana) with sacred stone (śilā) landmark
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.83 (Gayā-kṣetra/tīrtha enumeration context)
FAQs
This verse identifies Campaka-vana as a recognized sacred spot in the Gayā region, marking it as a tirtha-context location connected to ritual geography.
By locating Pāṇḍu-śilā within the Campaka grove near Gayāśīrṣa, the verse anchors specific sites that tradition associates with performing ancestral offerings in the wider Gayā-kṣetra.
If undertaking Shraddha-related pilgrimages, use scriptural place-markers (like Gayāśīrṣa, Mahānadī, and named stones/groves) to follow a tradition-aligned route and perform rites with clarity and reverence.