Shloka 58

Gayā-kṣetra and Phalgu Tīrtha: Sites, Rites, and the Liberation of the Pitṛs

Devanagari script

रविपादे पिण्डदानात्पतितोद्धारणं भवेत् / गयास्थो यो ददात्यन्नं पितरस्तेन पुत्रिणः

Transliteration

ravipāde piṇḍadānātpatitoddhāraṇaṃ bhavet / gayāstho yo dadātyannaṃ pitarastena putriṇaḥ

Translation

Dengan mempersembahkan piṇḍa di Ravipāda, terjadilah pengangkatan dan penyelamatan bagi yang jatuh. Dan sesiapa yang tinggal di Gayā lalu mempersembahkan makanan—oleh dirinya para Pitṛ seakan-akan dikurniai seorang putera, yakni dipenuhi dan disokong.

Word by Word

• रविपादे: at Ravi-pāda
• रविपादे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (रवेः पादे = at Ravi-pāda, a named tīrtha/section)

• पिण्डदानात्: from offering rice-balls (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डदानात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पिण्डस्य दानम्)

• पतितोद्धारणम्: uplift/rescue of the fallen
• पतितोद्धारणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतित + उद्धारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पतितस्य उद्धारणम्)

• भवेत्: would occur/be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• गयास्थः: one staying at Gayā
• गयास्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (गयायां स्थः = staying in Gayā)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• तेन: by that (act)/thereby
• तेन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पुत्रिणः: having sons; blessed with sons
• पुत्रिणः: Kartṛ-predicative (कर्तृसम्बन्धि विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुत्रवन्तः)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Garuḍa/Vinātā-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: At Ravipāda/Gayā during śrāddha tithi; commonly associated with Gayā-śrāddha pilgrimage season per tradition.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Piṇḍa-dāna and anna-dāna at specific tīrthas can mitigate severe karmic downfall (patita) and confer support to pitṛs, reflecting transferable merit within dharmic frameworks.

Vedantic Theme: Interdependence of embodied duty and subtle continuity (pitṛ-loka connection); karma’s modifiability through prescribed expiatory/propitiatory acts.

Application: Offer piṇḍa and food in ancestors’ names; prioritize feeding the needy and qualified recipients as a living extension of śrāddha intention.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha (piṇḍa-dāna spot); sacred city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Gayā-māhātmya and piṇḍa-dāna discussions in the same adhyāya cluster (1.83)

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Gayā
• Ravipāda
• Piṇḍa-dāna

FAQs

What is the importance of piṇḍa-dāna at Ravipāda according to the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse states that offering piṇḍa at Ravipāda brings patitoddhāraṇa—upliftment or deliverance of those departed who are considered ‘fallen’ or in difficulty.

How does this verse describe the benefit of Gayā offerings for the ancestors (Pitṛs)?

It says that one who gives food at Gayā makes the Pitṛs ‘putriṇaḥ’—fulfilled as if they have a son—implying sustained support, satisfaction, and continuity of ancestral rites.

Practical application of this teaching today?

Perform śrāddha and related offerings with sincerity—especially anna-dāna (feeding) and remembrance of ancestors—while treating it as a duty of gratitude and ethical living, not merely a transaction.