Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

नामैकाशीतितमो ऽध्यायः श्रीगणेशाय नमः / (अथ गयामाहात्म्यं प्रारभ्यते) / ब्रह्मोवाच / सारात्सारतरं व्यास गयाभाहात्म्य मुत्तमम् / प्रवक्ष्यामि समासेन बुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं शृणु

Transliteration

nāmaikāśītitamo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ / (atha gayāmāhātmyaṃ prārabhyate) / brahmovāca / sārātsārataraṃ vyāsa gayābhāhātmya muttamam / pravakṣyāmi samāsena buktimuktipradaṃ śṛṇu

Translation

Bab lapan puluh dua—sembah sujud kepada Śrī Gaṇeśa. (Kini bermulalah kisah kemuliaan Gayā.) Brahmā bersabda: “Wahai Vyāsa, akan kukhabarkan secara ringkas Gayā-māhātmya yang tertinggi, lebih inti daripada segala inti. Dengarlah, kerana ia menganugerahkan bhukti (kenikmatan dunia) dan mukti (pembebasan).”

Word by Word

• नाम: title/name
• नाम: Vishaya (Topic/heading)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; here used as heading ‘name/title’

• एकाशीतितमः: eighty-first
• एकाशीतितमः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + अशीतिः + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal) qualifying अध्यायः

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• श्रीगणेशाय: to Śrī Gaṇeśa
• श्रीगणेशाय: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीगणेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचनम्

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (indeclinable interjection used with dative)

• अथ: now/then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: मङ्गल/अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (particle: now/then)

• गयामाहात्म्यम्: the glory of Gayā
• गयामाहात्म्यम्: Karta (Subject of prārabhyate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; समासः: गयाया माहात्म्यम् = ‘the greatness of Gayā’

• प्रारभ्यते: is begun/commences
• प्रारभ्यते: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + रभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is begun/commences)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• सारात्: from/than the essence
• सारात्: Apadana (Source/standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचनम्

• सारतरम्: more excellent
• सारतरम्: Karman-viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative): ‘more excellent’; qualifies माहात्म्यम्

• व्यास: O Vyāsa
• व्यास: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचनम्

• गयामाहात्म्यम्: the glory of Gayā
• गयामाहात्म्यम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; object of प्रवक्ष्यामि

• उत्तमम्: supreme
• उत्तमम्: Karman-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying माहात्म्यम्)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall expound
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुषः (1st person), एकवचनम्

• समासेन: briefly/in summary
• समासेन: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचनम्; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (adverbial: briefly)

• भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदम्: granting enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदम्: Karman-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्ति + मुक्ति + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; समासः: भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रद = ‘giver of enjoyment and liberation’; विशेषणम् (qualifying माहात्म्यम्)

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Brahmā

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A single sacred teaching/field can yield both bhukti (well-being) and mukti (liberation) when approached rightly.

Vedantic Theme: Integration of puruṣārthas; karma/bhakti as preparatory and supportive to mokṣa; śraddhā-śravaṇa as a liberating aid.

Application: Listen/recite Gayā-māhātmya with faith; align pilgrimage and ritual acts with the higher aim of inner purification and release.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha/kṣetra (pilgrimage field)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.82.2– onward (Gayāsura narrative); Garuda Purana sections praising Viṣṇu-nāma and tīrtha-phala (general linkage)

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇeśa
• Brahmā
• Vyāsa
• Gayā

FAQs

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

This verse introduces Gayā-māhātmya as an exceptionally essential teaching, presented as a sacred account whose hearing supports both worldly welfare and spiritual liberation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in Garuda Purana terms?

By stating that Gayā-māhātmya grants bhukti and mukti, the verse frames Gayā-related dharma (especially ancestral rites associated with Gayā in the broader tradition) as supportive of both life’s well-being and the ultimate aim of release.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach pilgrimage narratives and ancestral-duty teachings with attentive listening and reverence, using them to align daily life with dharma while keeping mokṣa as the higher aim.