Shloka 51

The Greatness of Offering Piṇḍas at Viṣṇvādipada (Viṣṇupada) — Gayā Śrāddha Procedure and Fruits

Devanagari script

गयासुरस्य तु शिरो गदया यद्द्विधा कृतम् । यतः प्रक्षालिता तीर्थे गदालोलस्तदा स्मृतः ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

gayāsurasya tu śiro gadayā yaddvidhā kṛtam | yataḥ prakṣālitā tīrthe gadālolastadā smṛtaḥ || 51 ||

Translation

Lorsque la tête de Gayāsura fut fendue en deux par la massue (gadā), et que la massue fut ensuite lavée dans ce gué sacré (tīrtha), ce tīrtha fut dès lors mémorisé sous le nom de « Gadālolā ».

Word by Word

• गया-असुरस्य: of Gayāsura
• गया-असुरस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (कर्मधारय/नामधारय-प्रायः) — ‘गयासुर’ (the asura named Gayā)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• गदया: with a mace
• गदया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Reference/Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative) — here referring to the event/fact ‘that’

• द्विधा: into two
• द्विधा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (in two parts/twofold)

• कृतम्: was made
• कृतम्: क्रियाविशेष्य (Predicate/State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘made/done’

• यतः: from which/therefore
• यतः: अपादान/हेतु (Apādāna/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/अपादानार्थक (from which/therefore/whence)

• प्रक्षालिता: was washed
• प्रक्षालिता: क्रियाविशेष्य (Predicate/State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-क्षल् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘washed/cleansed’

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• गदा-लोलः: the mace-wielding/with a swinging mace
• गदा-लोलः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + लोल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः — ‘गदया लोलः’ (mace-swaying/with moving mace)

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then/at that time)

• स्मृतः: is known/called
• स्मृतः: क्रियाविशेष्य (Predicate/State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is called/remembered as’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (narrating to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Gayāsura
• Gadā (mace)
• Gadālolā Tīrtha
• Gaya (Kṣetra)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It explains the etiology (name-origin) of a Gaya tīrtha: a sacred place becomes renowned through a divine act connected to Gayāsura, establishing it as a site of purity and merit (puṇya) for pilgrims.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By highlighting reverence for tīrthas tied to sacred narratives, it supports bhakti through śraddhā—devotees honor the Lord’s sacred geography (kṣetra-māhātmya) and perform worship and bathing with faith.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Nirukta-style onomastics is implied: the verse derives a tīrtha-name (Gadālolā) from a defining event, aiding ritual geography and correct identification of pilgrimage sites used in rites like snāna and tarpaṇa.