Shloka 58

The Greatness of Offering Piṇḍas at Viṣṇvādipada (Viṣṇupada) — Gayā Śrāddha Procedure and Fruits

Devanagari script

इति श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणोत्तरभागे मोहिनीवसुसंवादे गयामाहात्म्ये विष्ण्वादिपदे पिंडदानमाहात्म्यकथनं नाम । षट्चत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

iti śrībṛhannāradīyapurāṇottarabhāge mohinīvasusaṃvāde gayāmāhātmye viṣṇvādipade piṃḍadānamāhātmyakathanaṃ nāma | ṣaṭcatvāriṃśattamo'dhyāyaḥ || 46 ||

Translation

ଏହିପରି ଶ୍ରୀବୃହନ୍ନାରଦୀୟପୁରାଣର ଉତ୍ତରଭାଗରେ, ମୋହିନୀ ଓ ବସୁମାନଙ୍କ ସଂବାଦରେ, ଗୟାମାହାତ୍ମ୍ୟ ଅନ୍ତର୍ଗତ ‘ବିଷ୍ଣ୍ୱାଦିପଦେ ପିଣ୍ଡଦାନର ମାହାତ୍ମ୍ୟ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା’ ନାମକ ଛୟାଳିଶତମ ଅଧ୍ୟାୟ ସମାପ୍ତ ହେଲା ॥46॥

Word by Word

• iti: thus; end-quote marker
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण-चिह्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• śrī-bṛhat-nāradīya-purāṇa-uttara-bhāge: in the latter part of the Śrī Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa
• śrī-bṛhat-nāradīya-purāṇa-uttara-bhāge: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + bṛhat (प्रातिपदिक) + nāradīya (प्रातिपदिक) + purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरणे (locative of place/section)

• mohinī-vasu-saṃvāde: in the dialogue of Mohinī and Vasu
• mohinī-vasu-saṃvāde: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mohinī (प्रातिपदिक) + vasu (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃvāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

• gayā-māhātmye: in the section on the greatness of Gayā
• gayā-māhātmye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gayā (प्रातिपदिक) + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

• viṣṇu-ādi-pade: in the chapter/section beginning with Viṣṇu
• viṣṇu-ādi-pade: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

• piṃḍa-dāna-māhātmya-kathanaṃ: the narration of the greatness of offering piṇḍas
• piṃḍa-dāna-māhātmya-kathanaṃ: Karta (कर्ता/शीर्षक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṃḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक) + kathana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; शीर्षक-रूपेण (as title)

• nāma: called; named
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/नामनिर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः; ‘नाम’ (designation marker: “called”)

• ṣaṭ-catvāriṃśattamaḥ: forty-sixth
• ṣaṭ-catvāriṃśattamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक) + catvāriṃśat (प्रातिपदिक) + -tama (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal adjective)

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (colophon/narratorial closure within Mohinī–Vasu-saṃvāda)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Mohinī
• Vasus
• Gayā
• Viṣṇu
• Viṣṇupada (Viṣṇvādipada)

FAQs

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

It is a colophon marking the completion of the chapter that praises the sacred efficacy (māhātmya) of performing piṇḍadāna at Viṣṇupada in Gayā, framing the rite as a powerful tīrtha-based dharma for ancestors.

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

By centering the rite at Viṣṇu’s footprint (Viṣṇupada), it implicitly connects ancestral duty (śrāddha/piṇḍadāna) with Viṣṇu-oriented sacred geography, encouraging devotion expressed through pilgrimage and offerings.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure is foregrounded—piṇḍadāna as a śrāddha-related act—reflecting applied Kalpa (ritual practice) and Dharmaśāstra-style organization within a Purāṇic tīrtha-māhātmya context.