Shloka 11

The Greatness of Gayā

Gayā-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

विष्णुमायाविमूढोऽसौ गदया विष्णुना हतः । ततो गदाधरो विष्णुर्गयायां मुक्तिदः स्मृतः ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

viṣṇumāyāvimūḍho'sau gadayā viṣṇunā hataḥ | tato gadādharo viṣṇurgayāyāṃ muktidaḥ smṛtaḥ || 11 ||

Translation

વિષ્ણુની માયાથી મોહિત થયેલો તે વિષ્ણુની ગદાથી હણાયો; તેથી ગયામાં ગદાધારી વિષ્ણુ ‘મુક્તિદાતા’ તરીકે સ્મરાય છે।

Word by Word

• viṣṇu-māyā-vimūḍhaḥ: deluded by Viṣṇu’s māyā
• viṣṇu-māyā-vimūḍhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + vimūḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• asau: that one, he
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• gadayā: with a mace
• gadayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gadā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• viṣṇunā: by Viṣṇu
• viṣṇunā: Kartṛ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• hataḥ: was slain
• hataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense)

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमवाचक (thereupon/then)

• gadā-dharaḥ: Gadādhara (mace-bearer)
• gadā-dharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (epithet)

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• gayāyām: in Gayā
• gayāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• mukti-daḥ: giver of liberation
• mukti-daḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘द’ (giver) as agent-noun

• smṛtaḥ: is remembered/called
• smṛtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is called/considered’

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Narada Purana dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Gadadhara (Vishnu)
• Gaya

FAQs

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

It establishes Gayā as a mokṣa-giving tīrtha by linking its sanctity to Viṣṇu as Gadādhara, whose divine power over māyā culminates in liberation for seekers who take refuge there.

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

By emphasizing remembrance of Viṣṇu as “Gadādhara” in Gayā, it points to smaraṇa (devotional recollection) and śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in Viṣṇu as the liberating focus of tīrtha-centered bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not teaching a specific Vedāṅga directly, it supports Dharma-śāstra style tīrtha-prayoga: identifying the deity-form (Gadādhara) and the kṣetra (Gayā) as essential ritual parameters for pilgrimage observances aimed at mokṣa.