Shloka 18

Gayā-māhātmya: Gayāsura, Viṣṇu’s Establishment, and the Fruits of Śrāddha at Gayā

Devanagari script

असंस्कृता मृता य च पशुचोरहताश्च ये / सर्पदष्टा गयाश्राद्धान्मुक्ताः स्वर्गं व्रजन्ति ते

Transliteration

asaṃskṛtā mṛtā ya ca paśucorahatāśca ye / sarpadaṣṭā gayāśrāddhānmuktāḥ svargaṃ vrajanti te

Translation

ผู้ที่ตายโดยมิได้รับพิธีสังสการ ผู้ที่ถูกโจรโคฆ่า และผู้ที่ตายเพราะถูกงูกัด—ด้วยศราทธะที่คยา ย่อมหลุดพ้นและไปสู่สวรรค์।

Word by Word

• अ-संस्कृताः: unperformed (with rites)/unconsecrated
• अ-संस्कृताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ धातु, सम्-उपसर्ग; क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक-विशेषण (not consecrated/without rites)

• मृताः: dead
• मृताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त; √मृ धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• पशु-चोर-हताः: killed by cattle-thieves / killed as a result of cattle-theft
• पशु-चोर-हताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक) + चोर (प्रातिपदिक) + हत (कृदन्त; √हन् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (पशुचोरैः हताः/पशुचोरस्य हताः)

• सर्प-दष्टाः: bitten by a snake
• सर्प-दष्टाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्प (प्रातिपदिक) + दष्ट (कृदन्त; √दंश्/√दश् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः (सर्पेण दष्टाः)

• गया-श्राद्धात्: from (by) the Gayā-śrāddha
• गया-श्राद्धात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (गयायाः/गयायां श्राद्धात्)

• मुक्ताः: freed
• मुक्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्त (कृदन्त; √मुच् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• व्रजन्ति: go
• व्रजन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Performed after death for a specific departed individual; at Gayā as tīrtha-śrāddha, often integrated with local Gayā-śrāddha procedure.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual assistance to the departed: Gayā-śrāddha can liberate those in afflicted post-death conditions and grant svarga-gati.

Vedantic Theme: Interdependence of karma and saṃskāra: when rites are missing or death is sudden, supportive dharmic acts by the living can mitigate suffering and redirect the jīva’s trajectory.

Application: Perform timely antima-saṃskāra and śrāddha; for deaths by accident/violence, prioritize communal support, remembrance, and prescribed rites to bring peace to the bereaved and the departed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-kṣetra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: preta states arising from improper rites and untimely death; remedies via śrāddha and piṇḍa; Garuda Purana: descriptions of preta-yoni and uplift through offerings

Characters & Entities

• Gayā
• Śrāddha
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayā Śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that Gayā Śrāddha has the power to release even difficult or irregular cases of death—such as those without proper rites or those who died violently—and enables their onward ascent to Svarga.

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

It implies that certain deaths (without saṃskāras, violent death, snakebite) can leave the departed in an obstructed post-death condition, and that performing Gayā Śrāddha removes that obstruction and allows the soul to move upward toward heavenly realms.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain timely antyeṣṭi and śrāddha duties when possible, and when rites were missed or death was untimely, consider authorized ancestral rites (including Gayā-related śrāddha/piṇḍa offerings) as a remedial act of dharma and gratitude to ancestors.