Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

तथा गदाधरं देवं माधवं पुरुषोत्तमम् / तं प्रणम्य प्रयत्नेन न भूयो जायते नरः

Transliteration

tathā gadādharaṃ devaṃ mādhavaṃ puruṣottamam / taṃ praṇamya prayatnena na bhūyo jāyate naraḥ

Translation

అలాగే గదాధరుడైన దేవుడు—మాధవుడు, పురుషోత్తముడు—ఆయనకు శ్రద్ధతో ప్రయత్నించి నమస్కరిస్తే మనిషి మళ్లీ జన్మించడు.

Word by Word

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• गदाधरम्: the mace-bearer
• गदाधरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म; देवम् इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण (epithet)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• माधवम्: Mādhava (Viṣṇu)
• माधवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण (apposition)

• पुरुषोत्तमम्: the supreme person
• पुरुषोत्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण (epithet)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object of प्रणम्य)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed to
• प्रणम्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having bowed’

• प्रयत्नेन: with effort
• प्रयत्नेन: Karana (Means/Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; साधन/रीति (manner)

• न: not
• न: Negation (Nipata/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: again/further)

• जायते: is born
• जायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Moksha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sincere, effortful surrender to Mādhava (Gadādhara) grants apunarbhava—freedom from rebirth.

Vedantic Theme: Bhagavān as the liberator; grace accessed through bhakti and śaraṇāgati; saṃsāra-nivṛtti as highest puruṣārtha.

Application: Adopt daily praṇāma and nāma-smaraṇa of Viṣṇu with steadiness; align conduct with devotion (avoid harmful actions, cultivate sattva) to deepen surrender.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana passages extolling Viṣṇu-nāma, praṇāma, and bhakti as destroyers of pāpa and grantors of mokṣa; Garuda Purana teachings on apunarbhava through Hari-bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Gadādhara, Mādhava, Puruṣottama)

FAQs

What is the importance of bowing to Vishnu (pranama) in Garuda Purana?

This verse states that sincere, effortful reverence to Vishnu—Gadādhara/Mādhava, the Supreme Person—leads to freedom from rebirth (a marker of moksha).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It emphasizes liberation as the cessation of repeated birth, attained here through devoted surrender (praṇāma) to Puruṣottama rather than through fear of afterlife punishments.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily humble devotion—regular pranama, remembrance, and ethical living aligned with Vishnu’s dharma—so spiritual practice becomes steady and purposeful.