Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

तत्र स्नात्वा दिवं याति श्राद्धं दत्तमथाक्षयम् / सूर्यं नत्वा त्विदं कुर्यात्कृतपिण्डादिसत्क्रियः

Transliteration

tatra snātvā divaṃ yāti śrāddhaṃ dattamathākṣayam / sūryaṃ natvā tvidaṃ kuryātkṛtapiṇḍādisatkriyaḥ

Translation

Setelah mandi di sana, seseorang mencapai syurga; dan Śrāddha yang dipersembahkan di sana menjadi pahala yang tidak susut. Setelah bersujud kepada Sūrya (Dewa Matahari), hendaklah melakukan upacara ini—sesudah menyempurnakan amalan suci bermula dengan persembahan piṇḍa.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• दिवम्: to heaven
• दिवम्: Gati-Karma (Goal/गत्यर्थकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्युस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दत्तम्: given/offered
• दत्तम्: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

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

• अक्षयम्: imperishable; inexhaustible (in merit)
• अक्षयम्: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• सूर्यम्: the Sun
• सूर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नत्वा: having bowed to
• नत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• तु: indeed/then
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कृतपिण्डादिसत्क्रियः: one who has performed piṇḍa and other proper rites
• कृतपिण्डादिसत्क्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत + पिण्डादि + सत्क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘कृताः पिण्डादयः सत्क्रियाश्च येन सः’ (one who has performed piṇḍa etc. rites)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: At Kanakhala after snāna; suitable on śrāddha tithi/new moon or prescribed ancestral days (implied).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-snāna and śrāddha performed with proper sequence (including Sūrya-namaskāra) yields enduring merit and favorable post-mortem destiny.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual action (karma) as a means to refine intention and align with ṛta; merit as a provisional good supporting higher aims.

Application: When performing ancestral rites, follow prescribed order: purification bath, salutations to Sūrya, then piṇḍa and related satkriyā with faith and correctness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha (sacred ford/ghat)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.84: tīrtha-śrāddha merits and akṣaya-phala statements; Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: śrāddha efficacy and pitṛ-tṛpti doctrines (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Surya

FAQs

What is the importance of performing Śrāddha after bathing at a sacred place in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that bathing at that sacred spot and then offering Śrāddha yields imperishable (akṣaya) merit, and is said to lead to heavenly attainment.

How does this verse connect ritual actions like piṇḍa-dāna to spiritual results?

It links proper completion of piṇḍa and related funerary observances (piṇḍādi-satkriyā) with lasting merit, presenting correct ritual order—saluting Sūrya, then performing the rite—as spiritually efficacious.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

If performing ancestral rites, follow a disciplined, respectful sequence—purification (bath), reverence (prayer to Sūrya), and correct Śrāddha procedure—while maintaining sincerity and ethical living as the foundation of ritual merit.