Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

गृहाच्चलितमात्रस्य गयायां गमनं प्रति / स्वर्गारोहणसोपानं पितॄणां तु पदेपदे

Transliteration

gṛhāccalitamātrasya gayāyāṃ gamanaṃ prati / svargārohaṇasopānaṃ pitṝṇāṃ tu padepade

Translation

ఇంటినుంచి బయలుదేరి గయకు వెళ్లాలని సంకల్పించినవాడికి, ప్రతి అడుగూ పితృదేవతల స్వర్గారోహణానికి సోపానమవుతుంది।

Word by Word

• गृहात्: from (one's) house
• गृहात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• चलित: having moved
• चलित: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चल् (धातु) → चलित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत (past passive participle)

• मात्रस्य: of mere measure/only
• मात्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• गयायाम्: in Gayā
• गयायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• गमनम्: going, journey
• गमनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गमन (प्रातिपदिक; √गम् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Upapada (Prepositional marker/उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; दिशार्थे/प्रत्यर्थे (towards)

• स्वर्गारोहणसोपानम्: a stairway for ascending to heaven
• स्वर्गारोहणसोपानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + आरोहण (प्रातिपदिक) + सोपान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासार्थः ("स्वर्गस्य आरोहणस्य सोपानम्")

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); विरोध/विशेषार्थे

• पदे: at (each) step
• पदे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पदे: at every step
• पदे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: From the very commencement of the journey (setting out)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Saṅkalpa and movement toward a tīrtha generate puṇya; each step becomes a merit-ladder for pitṛs.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as preparatory purification (citta-śuddhi) supporting higher pursuit; intention (bhāva) shapes karmaphala.

Application: Make a clear sankalpa before pilgrimage/śrāddha; begin the journey with restraint and remembrance of pitṛs, treating the path itself as a ritual act.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha (pilgrimage city/kshetra)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: tīrtha-śrāddha praise and pitṛ-gati sections (Gaya-mahātmya style passages); Garuda Purana: śrāddha-vidhi and piṇḍa-dāna phala statements in the same adhyāya cluster

Characters & Entities

• Gaya
• Pitris
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the importance of going to Gaya in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that even beginning the journey to Gayā generates merit that helps the Pitṛs, turning each step into a means for their ascent toward svarga.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or ancestors after death?

It emphasizes Pitṛ-uplift through descendants’ dharmic actions: the pilgrim’s intentional movement toward Gayā is portrayed as directly aiding the ancestors’ post-death progress toward higher realms.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain sincere intention and follow through with śrāddha/tarpaṇa or Gayā-śrāddha when possible; the verse highlights that even small, committed steps toward ancestral rites are spiritually meaningful.