Shloka 7

Pretaśilā at Gayā: Muṇḍapṛṣṭha, Gadādhara’s Manifestation, and the Fruits of Śrāddha & Deity-Worship

Devanagari script

तस्मा द्गिरिः क्रैञ्चपादः पितॄणां ब्रह्मलोकदः / गदाधरादयो देवा आद्या आदौ व्यवस्थिताः

Transliteration

tasmā dgiriḥ kraiñcapādaḥ pitṝṇāṃ brahmalokadaḥ / gadādharādayo devā ādyā ādau vyavasthitāḥ

Translation

Karena itu, gunung bernama Krañcapāda adalah pemberi Brahmaloka bagi para Pitṛ; dan para dewa purba—bermula dari Tuhan pemegang gada—telah ditegakkan di sana sejak awal mula.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: from that (therefore)
• तस्मात्: अपादान (Source/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative, 5th), एकवचन (singular)

• गिरिः: mountain
• गिरिः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (singular)

• क्रैञ्चपादः: Krañca-foot (name/epithet)
• क्रैञ्चपादः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रैञ्च + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘of Krañca’ + ‘foot’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पितॄणाम्: of the Pitṛs (ancestors)
• पितॄणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (plural)

• ब्रह्मलोकदः: giver of Brahma-loka
• ब्रह्मलोकदः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मलोक + द (दा √दा ‘to give’ → द ‘giver’, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘Brahma-world’ + ‘giver’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गदाधरादयः: Gadādhara and others
• गदाधरादयः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदाधर + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘Gadādhara and others’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• आद्याः: primeval/first
• आद्याः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; देवाः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: अधिकरण (Locative/Adverbial setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), अव्यय-प्रयोगः (adverbial locative sense)

• व्यवस्थिताः: were established/placed
• व्यवस्थिताः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Predicate/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + √स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; देवाः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Gayā-śrāddha context (tīrtha-visit period; often linked with pitṛpakṣa though not stated here)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sacred geography as a conduit of post-mortem uplift for Pitṛs; devas and Viṣṇu’s presence sanctify the kṣetra from the beginning.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sannidhya (divine immanence) making a locus a means (upāya) for higher lokas; karma aided by tīrtha and devotion.

Application: Approach Gayā/Krañcapāda with śraddhā; perform pitṛ-kārya and Viṣṇu-upāsanā there with the understanding that the kṣetra is divinely grounded.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: mountain

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha sections on Gayā-śrāddha and pitṛ-tīrthas (contextual parallel); Garuda Purana passages enumerating Viṣṇu’s primacy and devas’ dependence

Characters & Entities

• Krañcapāda (mountain)
• Pitṛs
• Brahmaloka
• Gadādhara (Vishnu)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of the Pitṛs in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links the Pitṛs with attainment of higher realms (Brahmaloka), emphasizing the Purana’s ancestor-centered cosmology where the Pitṛs have a defined spiritual destination and status.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

Indirectly, it points to graded post-death realms: the Pitṛs are associated with a higher loka (Brahmaloka), suggesting that beings can reach specific worlds based on cosmic order and merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain respect for ancestors and uphold dharmic living; in Garuda Purana thought, honoring the Pitṛs and cultivating merit supports auspicious post-death outcomes.