Shloka 17
The Greatness of Offering Piṇḍas at Viṣṇvādipada (Viṣṇupada) — Gayā Śrāddha Procedure and Fruits
गयाशिरे नगाद्याश्च साक्षात्तत्फलगुतीर्थकम् । मुखं गयासुरस्यैतत्स्नात्वा श्राद्धं समाचरेत् ॥ १७ ॥
gayāśire nagādyāśca sākṣāttatphalagutīrthakam | mukhaṃ gayāsurasyaitatsnātvā śrāddhaṃ samācaret || 17 ||
À Gayāśira et dans les autres lieux sacrés voisins, voici manifestement le gué saint nommé Phalgu-tīrtha ; on dit que c’est le visage même de l’asura Gayāsura. Après s’y être baigné, qu’on accomplisse dûment les rites de śrāddha.
Narada (teaching within the Gaya-tirtha Mahatmya narrative)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It identifies Phalgu-tīrtha in Gayā as a manifestly potent place for purification; bathing here is presented as the proper preparation for śrāddha, linking tīrtha-snānā to effective Pitṛ-dharma.
While primarily ritual-focused, it supports bhakti through reverent action: honoring sacred geography associated with divine/puranic events and serving the Pitṛs as a dharmic offering performed with faith and purity.
Kalpa (ritual discipline) is emphasized: perform snāna at the prescribed tīrtha and then conduct śrāddha in due form, reflecting the procedural ordering central to Vedic rites.