Shloka 69

The Greatness of Gayā

Gayā-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

एकरात्रोषितो यत्र प्रयच्छेत्तिधेनुकाम् । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः सोमलोकं व्रजेद्ध्रुवम् ॥ ६९ ॥

Transliteration

ekarātroṣito yatra prayacchettidhenukām | sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ somalokaṃ vrajeddhruvam || 69 ||

Translation

Siapa yang bermalam satu malam di sana dan mempersembahkan til-dhenukā (sedekah sapi disertai wijen), terbebas dari segala dosa dan pasti menuju alam Soma.

Word by Word

• eka-rātra-uṣitaḥ: having stayed one night
• eka-rātra-uṣitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + rātra (प्रातिपदिक) + uṣita (वस्/उष्?; √vas ‘to dwell’ PPP uṣita)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) with numeral: ‘ekarātram uṣitaḥ’ = ‘having stayed one night’; Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); qualifies implied person (yaḥ)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; relative locative adverb (यत्र)

• prayacchet: should give/offer
• prayacchet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-yam (प्रयम्/यम् धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/Optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथम), Ekavacana (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tri-dhenukām: a set of three ‘dhenukā’ gifts (three cows/three cow-like offerings)
• tri-dhenukām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + dhenukā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu-samāsa (द्विगु) ‘three dhenukās’; Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन) (collective)

• sarva-pāpa-vinirmuktaḥ: freed from all sins
• sarva-pāpa-vinirmuktaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + vinirmukta (वि-निर्मुच् धातु, क्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘sarvebhyaḥ pāpebhyaḥ vinirmuktaḥ’; Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); qualifies the doer

• soma-lokam: Soma-world
• soma-lokam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: soma (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘somasya lokaḥ’; Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• vrajet: should go
• vrajet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vraj (व्रज् धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/Optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथम), Ekavacana (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• dhruvam: certainly
• dhruvam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya-prayoga (अव्ययप्रयोग) as adverb ‘certainly’ (निश्चयार्थे)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a tirtha-mahatmya/dana-phala sequence; traditional dialogue frame with Sanatkumara context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Soma

FAQs

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

It links tirtha-residence (even for one night) with dana (tila-dhenu), teaching that pilgrimage becomes spiritually complete through charity, resulting in pāpa-kṣaya (removal of sin) and attainment of Soma-loka.

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

Though framed as tirtha and dana, the verse reflects bhakti-oriented dharma: serving sacred places and offering gifts with faith (śraddhā) purifies the devotee and leads to higher realms, supporting devotional living through ritualized generosity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights kalpa/ritual practice (dāna-vidhi): the prescribed act of staying at a sacred site and performing a specific charity (tila-dhenu), emphasizing correct observance and intention rather than technical grammar or astrology.