Shloka 15

Gayā-māhātmya: Gayāsura, Viṣṇu’s Establishment, and the Fruits of Śrāddha at Gayā

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मज्ञानं गयाश्राद्धं गोगृहे मरणं तथा / वासः पुंसां कुरुक्षेत्रे मुक्तिरेषा चतुर्विधा

Transliteration

brahmajñānaṃ gayāśrāddhaṃ gogṛhe maraṇaṃ tathā / vāsaḥ puṃsāṃ kurukṣetre muktireṣā caturvidhā

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മജ്ഞാനം, ഗയയിൽ നിർവഹിക്കുന്ന ശ്രാദ്ധം, ഗോശാലയിൽ മരണം, കൂടാതെ കുരുക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ വാസം—ഇവയാണ് മോക്ഷത്തിനുള്ള നാലുവിധ മാർഗങ്ങൾ എന്നു പറയുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मज्ञानम्: knowledge of Brahman
• ब्रह्मज्ञानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः ज्ञानम्)

• गया-श्राद्धम्: Śrāddha at Gayā
• गया-श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (गयायां/गयायाः श्राद्धम्)

• गो-गृहे: in a cowshed
• गो-गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गवां गृहे)

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अन्वयार्थे (and/also/likewise)

• वासः: dwelling/residence
• वासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• पुंसाम्: of men
• पुंसाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• कुरुक्षेत्रे: in Kurukṣetra
• कुरुक्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कुरूणां क्षेत्रे)

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• एषा: this
• एषा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चतुर्विधा: fourfold
• चतुर्विधा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः (चत्वारः विधाः यस्याः सा)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinātā-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Performed at Gayā during prescribed śrāddha periods (often linked with pitṛ-pakṣa and tīrtha-śrāddha conventions).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Fourfold means to liberation: brahmajñāna, Gayā-śrāddha, death in a cow-shed, and residence at Kurukṣetra.

Vedantic Theme: Jñāna as direct liberator, with auxiliary purificatory/merit-bearing supports (sādhana-catuṣṭaya via śuddhi and saṃskāra) that remove obstacles to realization.

Application: Cultivate brahmajñāna through study and contemplation; perform śrāddha at Gayā for ancestors; honor cows and sacred spaces; undertake pilgrimage/residence in dharma-kṣetras with disciplined conduct.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-kṣetra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-khaṇḍa): Gayā-māhātmya and piṇḍadāna-phala passages; Garuda Purana: discussions of antima-saṃskāra and śrāddha as uplift for pretas

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Gayā
• Śrāddha
• Cow (go)
• Kurukṣetra
• Mukti

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayā śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse lists Gayā śrāddha among the four renowned means connected with liberation, highlighting Gayā as a highly efficacious place for ancestral rites (pitṛ-kārya) and spiritual merit.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul toward liberation?

It presents both inner realization (brahma-jñāna) and sacred supports (kṣetra-vāsa, śrāddha, and an auspicious manner/place of death) as complementary avenues that can culminate in mukti.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize self-knowledge and dharmic living, and—where culturally appropriate—honor ancestors through śrāddha and pilgrimage to sacred sites associated with purification and merit.