Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

गयायां पिण्डदानेन यत्फलं लभते नरः / न तच्छक्यं मया वक्तुं वर्षकोटिशतैरपि

Transliteration

gayāyāṃ piṇḍadānena yatphalaṃ labhate naraḥ / na tacchakyaṃ mayā vaktuṃ varṣakoṭiśatairapi

Translation

ഗയയിൽ പിണ്ഡദാനം ചെയ്‌താൽ മനുഷ്യൻ ലഭിക്കുന്ന ഫലം, ഞാൻ നൂറുകോടി വർഷങ്ങൾ കൊണ്ടും വിവരിക്കാൻ കഴിയില്ല।

Word by Word

• गयायाम्: in Gayā
• गयायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• पिण्ड-दानॆन: by offering rice-balls (piṇḍa)
• पिण्ड-दानॆन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पिण्डस्य दानेन)

• यत्-फलम्: whatever result
• यत्-फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (यत् फलम् = whatever fruit/result)

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शक्यम्: possible
• शक्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (कृदन्त; √शक् धातु, यत्/ण्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (possible)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• वक्तुम्: to say
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); (to speak)

• वर्ष-कोटि-शतैः: even with hundreds of crores of years
• वर्ष-कोटि-शतैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (वर्षाणां कोटि-शतैः = by hundreds of crores of years)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/समुच्चय (even/also)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: At Gayā during tīrtha-śrāddha observances; commonly undertaken in pitṛ-pakṣa or when fulfilling ancestral obligations.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Incalculable merit (puṇya) from piṇḍadāna at Gayā.

Vedantic Theme: Limits of speech/time before dharmic potency; ritual merit as a measurable symbol pointing to an immeasurable sacred order (dharma) that supports higher aims.

Application: Perform piṇḍadāna with faith, correct procedure, and charity; pair ritual with ongoing care for family/elders and acts of compassion in the ancestor’s name.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-kṣetra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: extensive piṇḍadāna-phala descriptions at Gayā and other tīrthas; Garuda Purana: śrāddha-kalpa sections emphasizing faith (śraddhā) and proper vidhi

Characters & Entities

• Gayā
• Piṇḍa-dāna

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayā piṇḍa-dāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse declares the fruit (puṇya) of offering piṇḍas at Gayā to be so vast that even the speaker cannot fully describe it, highlighting Gayā as exceptionally potent for ancestral rites.

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

By emphasizing the extraordinary merit of piṇḍa-dāna at Gayā, the verse supports the Garuda Purana’s broader theme that proper śrāddha and offerings aid the departed and strengthen their onward journey, especially through ancestral support (pitṛ-sambandha).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna with sincerity (at Gayā if possible), and uphold dharma in daily life—treating ancestral obligations as a disciplined, respectful practice rather than a mere formality.