Shloka 1

Devanagari script

पञ्चाशीतितमो ऽध्यायः ब्रह्मोवाच / येयं प्रेतशिला ख्याता गयायां सा त्रिधा स्थिता / प्रभासे प्रेतकुण्डे च गयासुरशिरस्यपि

Transliteration

pañcāśītitamo 'dhyāyaḥ brahmovāca / yeyaṃ pretaśilā khyātā gayāyāṃ sā tridhā sthitā / prabhāse pretakuṇḍe ca gayāsuraśirasyapi

Translation

Brahmā said: This renowned “Pretaśilā” at Gayā is established in three forms—at Prabhāsa, at the Preta-kuṇḍa, and also at the head-site of Gayāsura.

Word by Word

• पञ्चाशीतितमः: eighty-fifth
• पञ्चाशीतितमः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + अशीतिः + तम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal) — ‘eighty-fifth’

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• या: which
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रेतशिला: Pretaśilā (sacred stone)
• प्रेतशिला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत + शिला (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (stone of the departed/Pretaśilā)

• ख्याता: known; famed
• ख्याता: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्यात (कृदन्त; √ख्या धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) विशेषण

• गयायाम्: in Gayā
• गयायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

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

• त्रिधा: in three parts/ways
• त्रिधा: Prakara (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिधा (अव्यय)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: in three ways)

• स्थिता: is situated
• स्थिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) — ‘situated’

• प्रभासे: in Prabhāsa
• प्रभासे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्रेतकुण्डे: in/at Preta-kuṇḍa
• प्रेतकुण्डे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत + कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (at Preta-kuṇḍa)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गयासुरशिरसि: on Gayāsura’s head
• गयासुरशिरसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गयासुर + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (on the head of Gayāsura)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय (particle: also/even)

Speaker

Brahmā

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Gayā-śrāddha pilgrimage sequence (station-based)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific sacred loci (Pretaśilā and related sites) are prescribed as powerful supports for rites connected to preta/pitṛ welfare; sacred space is structured and multi-nodal.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual efficacy is conditioned by deśa-kāla-niyama (place-time discipline); external supports guide the mind toward śraddhā and purification.

Application: When undertaking Gayā rites, learn the key stations (Pretaśilā, Preta-kuṇḍa, Gayāsura-śiras) and follow the traditional sequence under competent guidance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-network

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-kalpa: Pretaśilā descriptions and station-based rites at Gayā; Garuda Purana Gayāsura narrative elements (where present in the māhātmya)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Pretaśilā
• Gayā
• Prabhāsa
• Preta-kuṇḍa
• Gayāsura

FAQs

What is the importance of Pretaśilā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies Pretaśilā as a renowned sacred locus for rites connected with the departed, emphasizing its special status at Gayā and its threefold sacred presence.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death?

By pointing to specific tīrthas linked with preta-rites, the verse supports the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching that properly performed ancestral rituals and sacred places aid the departed and stabilize post-death transitions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If performing śrāddha or piṇḍa-dāna, follow tradition and qualified guidance: the verse highlights Gayā and related sacred sites as especially meaningful settings for ancestral offerings and remembrance.