Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

गयायां पितृरूपेण देवदेवो जनार्दनः / तं दृष्ट्वा पुण्डरीकाक्षं मुच्यते वै ऋणत्रयात्

Transliteration

gayāyāṃ pitṛrūpeṇa devadevo janārdanaḥ / taṃ dṛṣṭvā puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ mucyate vai ṛṇatrayāt

Translation

ณคยา พระชนารทนะผู้เป็นเทพเหนือเทพสถิตในรูปแห่งปิตฤ (บรรพชน). ผู้ใดได้เฝ้าดูพระผู้มีเนตรดุจดอกบัวนั้น ย่อมหลุดพ้นจากหนี้สามประการโดยแท้.

Word by Word

• गयायाम्: in Gayā
• गयायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of place)

• पितृरूपेण: in the form of the ancestors
• पितृरूपेण: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; साधन/प्रकार (instrumental of manner)

• देवदेवः: the god of gods
• देवदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव (appositional)

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; देवदेवस्य समानाधिकरण (apposition)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• पुण्डरीकाक्षम्: the lotus-eyed (Lord)
• पुण्डरीकाक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीक + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तं इति सर्वनामस्य विशेषण (epithet in apposition)

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (Nipata/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• ऋणत्रयात्: from the three debts
• ऋणत्रयात्: Apadana (Source/Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋण + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative of separation)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda / Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Gayā-śrāddha during pilgrimage; commonly linked with pitṛ-pakṣa or auspicious tithi at Gayā

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Darśana of Janārdana-as-Pitṛs at Gayā dissolves ṛṇa-traya (debts to Devas, Ṛṣis, Pitṛs) through proper reverence and ancestral obligation.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as antaryāmin and as the support of all relations; grace (anugraha) removes bondage when dharma is fulfilled.

Application: Undertake Gayā pilgrimage with śraddhā; perform duties to Devas/Ṛṣis/Pitṛs (worship, study, progeny/śrāddha) and cultivate Viṣṇu-bhakti.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-khaṇḍa passages praising Gayā as Pitṛ-tīrtha and Viṣṇu’s presence there; Garuda Purana discussions of ṛṇa-traya and its discharge via yajña, svādhyāya, prajā, śrāddha

Characters & Entities

• Gayā
• Janārdana (Vishnu)
• Pitṛs (forefathers)
• Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies Gayā as a sacred place where Vishnu is present as the Pitṛs; seeing Him there is said to remove the burden of the threefold debt, making Gayā central to ancestor-focused rites.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death?

By emphasizing freedom from ṛṇa-traya through devotion to Vishnu-as-Pitṛ at Gayā, the verse links proper fulfillment of ancestral and dharmic obligations with spiritual release, which supports a favorable post-death course.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Honor parents and ancestors through śrāddha/tarpaṇa (as appropriate to one’s tradition), live responsibly to discharge duties, and cultivate Vishnu-bhakti—seeing duty and devotion as complementary.