Shloka 73

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

Devanagari script

महाकौश्यां समावासादश्वमेधफलं लभेत् / पितामहस्य सरसः प्रसृता लोकपावनी

Transliteration

mahākauśyāṃ samāvāsādaśvamedhaphalaṃ labhet / pitāmahasya sarasaḥ prasṛtā lokapāvanī

Translation

Al residir en Mahākauśyā se obtiene el fruto del sacrificio Aśvamedha. Del lago de Pitāmaha (Brahmā) brota una corriente sagrada que purifica al mundo.

Word by Word

• महाकौश्याम्: in (the river/holy place) Mahākauśī
• महाकौश्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकौशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (नदीनाम/तीर्थनाम)

• समावासात्: from (the act of) staying/residing
• समावासात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समावास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (from/through residence)

• अश्वमेधफलम्: the fruit of the Aśvamedha
• अश्वमेधफलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध-फल (प्रातिपदिक; अश्वमेध + फल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अश्वमेधस्य फलम्)

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• पितामहस्य: of Pitāmaha (Brahmā / the grandsire)
• पितामहस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• सरसः: of the lake
• सरसः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• प्रसृता: spread forth / flowing out
• प्रसृता: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√सृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle/कृदन्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘प्रसृ’ (to spread/flow forth)

• लोकपावनी: purifying the worlds
• लोकपावनी: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक-पावनी (प्रातिपदिक; लोक + पावनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (लोकं पावयति इति)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prolonged association with a tīrtha (vāsa) yields great puṇya; sacred waters are conceived as carriers of loka-pāvanatva (world-purifying power).

Vedantic Theme: Sattva-śuddhi through sacred association (saṅga) and place; symbolic movement from ritual merit to inner purification.

Application: If undertaking pilgrimage, stay with discipline (niyama), study/recite, and service; treat the ‘flow’ as a reminder to let conduct become purifying for one’s community.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha-region (āvāsa/residence) and saras (sacred lake/source)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.83 (tīrtha-mahātmyā: residence/bathing yielding aśvamedha-like merit)

Characters & Entities

• Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• Mahākauśyā
• Aśvamedha

FAQs

What is the importance of Mahākauśyā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that merely residing at Mahākauśyā grants merit comparable to the Aśvamedha, marking it as a highly efficacious tīrtha for purification and dharmic fruit.

How does this verse explain purification in the Garuda Purana’s framework?

It links purification to sacred geography: a world-purifying stream is said to issue from Pitāmaha (Brahmā)’s lake, implying that contact with such tīrthas removes impurity and yields great ritual merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize dharmic living and, when possible, undertake tīrtha-yātrā or spend time in sacred environments with disciplined conduct, treating pilgrimage as an aid to inner purification rather than mere tourism.