Shloka 74

Gayā-kṣetra and Phalgu Tīrtha: Sites, Rites, and the Liberation of the Pitṛs

Devanagari script

समीपे त्वग्निधारेति विश्रुता कपिला हि सा / अग्निष्टोमफलं श्राद्धी स्नात्वात्र कृतकृत्यता

Transliteration

samīpe tvagnidhāreti viśrutā kapilā hi sā / agniṣṭomaphalaṃ śrāddhī snātvātra kṛtakṛtyatā

Translation

Nearby is a river famed as Agnidhārā—indeed she is also called Kapilā. One who has performed śrāddha, after bathing there, attains merit equal to the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice and becomes fulfilled in duty.

Word by Word

• समीपे: nearby
• समीपे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषबोधक अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• अग्निधारा: (the place/stream called) Agnidhārā
• अग्निधारा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि-धारा (प्रातिपदिक; अग्नि + धारा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अग्नेः धारा)

• इति: thus (called)
• इति: Nirdeshaka (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/नामनिर्देशबोधक अव्यय (quotative/marker)

• विश्रुता: well-known
• विश्रुता: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थे—प्रसिद्धा (well-known)

• कपिला: Kapilā (name of the place/river)
• कपिला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (नाम)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक/निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• सा: she/that (one)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (pronoun)

• अग्निष्टोमफलम्: the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma
• अग्निष्टोमफलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निष्टोम-फल (प्रातिपदिक; अग्निष्टोम + फल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अग्निष्टोमस्य फलम्)

• श्राद्धी: a performer of śrāddha rites
• श्राद्धी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धी’ = श्राद्धकर्मकर्ता (one who performs śrāddha)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• कृतकृत्यता: fulfillment (having done what must be done)
• कृतकृत्यता: Phala (Result/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत-कृत्य-ता (प्रातिपदिक; कृत + कृत्य + ता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (कृतं कृत्यं यस्याः सा/भावः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Śrāddha-kāla (pitṛ-pakṣa/annual tithi or prescribed occasion) followed by immediate snāna at the tīrtha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha performed with tīrtha-snāna culminates in kṛtakṛtyatā (having done what must be done), yielding Agniṣṭoma-tulya merit.

Vedantic Theme: Pitṛ-yajña as dharmic obligation within karma-yoga; inner purification through duty without negligence.

Application: When performing ancestral rites, prioritize correctness (śraddhā, cleanliness, sincerity) and conclude with snāna; let ‘kṛtakṛtya’ inspire completion of responsibilities without procrastination.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: nadī (river tīrtha)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.83.74 (explicit śrāddha + snāna at Agnidhārā/Kapilā giving Agniṣṭoma fruit); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa sections elsewhere on śrāddha importance for preta/pitṛ welfare (general internal thematic link)

Characters & Entities

• Kapilā
• Agnidhārā
• Agniṣṭoma
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the importance of the Kapilā (Agnidhārā) tīrtha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that bathing at the famed Kapilā, known as Agnidhārā, grants extraordinary merit—equal to the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice—especially when connected with śrāddha performance.

How does this verse connect śrāddha with Vedic sacrificial merit?

It equates the fruit of a major Vedic rite (Agniṣṭoma) with the combined act of śrāddha and tīrtha-snāna, emphasizing that ancestral rites done with sacred-place observance can yield very high puṇya.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Perform śrāddha with sincerity and, when possible, include tīrtha-related observances (like ritual bathing or sanctified purification), focusing on duty (kartavya) and reverence for ancestors rather than mere formality.