Shloka 30

The Greatness of Gayā

Gayā-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

पिंडप्रदानं विधिना प्रयच्छत्तावद्वियत्युत्त ममूर्तियुक्तान् । पश्यन् स पुंसः सितरक्तकृष्णानुवाच राजा किमिदं भवंतः ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

piṃḍapradānaṃ vidhinā prayacchattāvadviyatyutta mamūrtiyuktān | paśyan sa puṃsaḥ sitaraktakṛṣṇānuvāca rājā kimidaṃ bhavaṃtaḥ || 30 ||

Translation

Ketika raja mempersembahkan piṇḍa (bebola nasi upacara untuk leluhur) menurut tata cara yang ditetapkan, baginda melihat di angkasa makhluk-makhluk berjasad yang mulia—ada yang putih, ada yang merah, ada yang hitam. Melihat mereka, raja bertitah: “Siapakah kamu semua, dan apakah ini?”

Word by Word

• piṇḍa-pradānam: offering of funeral rice-balls
• piṇḍa-pradānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + pradāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (piṇḍasya pradānam)

• vidhinā: by the prescribed rite
• vidhinā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• prayacchat: was giving / offered
• prayacchat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√yam (यम् धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• tāvat: then/just then; so long
• tāvat: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• viyati: in the sky
• viyati: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viyat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• uttama-ūrti-yuktān: endowed with excellent forms
• uttama-ūrti-yuktān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक) + ūrti/mūrti (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (कृदन्त; √yuj)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः (uttamā mūrtiḥ yasya/yeṣām) + yukta = 'endowed with forms'

• paśyan: seeing
• paśyan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (पश् धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमान कृदन्त/शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agreeing with 'sa (rājā)'

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; pronoun

• puṃsaḥ: of the man/person
• puṃsaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• sita-rakta-kṛṣṇān: the white, red, and black (ones)
• sita-rakta-kṛṣṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sita (प्रातिपदिक) + rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (sitaś ca raktaś ca kṛṣṇaś ca) used adjectivally

• anuvāca: said
• anuvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person, Singular; parasmaipada

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• kim: what?
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; interrogative pronoun

• idam: this
• idam: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• bhavantaḥ: O sirs / O you (respected)
• bhavantaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Plural

Speaker

King (rājā) speaking to the apparitional beings during the śrāddha/piṇḍa-pradāna episode

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It highlights that śrāddha and piṇḍa-pradāna are not merely symbolic—performed correctly, they connect the performer to subtle realms, where the results of karma and ancestral states may become perceptible.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

While the verse is primarily ritual-focused, it supports bhakti-based dharma by showing that prescribed offerings done with reverence and faith (śraddhā) align human action with cosmic order, a key devotional attitude in Purāṇic practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied through “vidhinā”—the correct method of śrāddha and piṇḍa-pradāna, where precise injunction-following determines the intended ritual efficacy.