Shloka 21

Gayā-yātrā-vidhi: Multi-day Śrāddha Route, Pitṛ-devatās, and Akṣaya Merit at Gayā

Devanagari script

तेषा सेवनमात्रेण पितरो मोक्षगामिनः / यूपं प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य वाजपेयफलं लभेत्

Transliteration

teṣā sevanamātreṇa pitaro mokṣagāminaḥ / yūpaṃ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya vājapeyaphalaṃ labhet

Translation

അവരെ സേവിക്കുന്നതുമാത്രം കൊണ്ടു പിതൃകൾ മോക്ഷഗാമികളാകുന്നു. യൂപത്തെ പ്രദക്ഷിണം ചെയ്താൽ വാജപേയ യാഗഫലം ലഭിക്കും.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सेवनमात्रेण: by mere resorting/visiting
• सेवनमात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेवन (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सेवनस्य मात्रम्)

• पितरः: the ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• मोक्षगामिनः: going to liberation
• मोक्षगामिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + गामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (मोक्षं गच्छन्ति)

• यूपम्: the sacrificial post
• यूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य: having circumambulated
• प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + दक्षिणी + कृ (धातु) → प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा/ल्यप्-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वक्रिया; causative sense ‘to circumambulate’

• वाजपेयफलम्: the fruit of the Vājapeya sacrifice
• वाजपेयफलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजपेय (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (वाजपेयस्य फलम्)

• लभेत्: may obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in discourse to Garuḍa / Vinatā-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After/within the Brahmatīrtha śrāddha sequence; includes yūpa-pradakṣiṇā as an ancillary act.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sevā to the śrāddha context (and/or to those connected with it) can make pitṛs ‘mokṣa-gāmin’ (fit for liberation); pradakṣiṇā of yūpa yields Vājapeya-like merit.

Vedantic Theme: Gradation of fruits: karma performed with śraddhā and in a powerful kṣetra can support liberation indirectly (citta-śuddhi, pitṛ-anugraha).

Application: Perform pradakṣiṇā with focused intention; treat śrāddha not as mere formality but as seva—service imbued with reverence and responsibility to lineage.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha ritual axis centered on yūpa

Cross References

Related Themes: Immediate continuation of Brahmatīrtha śrāddha itinerary (1.84.18–22); mokṣa-gāmin claim anticipates Gayā-mahātmyas where pitṛs gain release.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Yūpa (sacrificial post)
• Vājapeya (Vedic sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the importance of serving the Pitṛs (ancestors) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that even simple service (sevanamātra) directed toward them can aid the ancestors in becoming mokṣa-bound, emphasizing pitṛ-sevā as a powerful dharmic act.

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

It highlights that post-death welfare is influenced by the living through dharmic actions—service and ritual merit—supporting the Garuda Purana’s broader theme that śrāddha-related acts can elevate the departed toward liberation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Honor and serve parents/elders, and perform remembrance rites with sincerity; the verse frames such conduct as spiritually efficacious, generating puṇya comparable to major Vedic sacrifices.