Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

अक्षयाल्लंभते लोकान्कुलानामुद्धरेच्छतम् / एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्त्रा यद्येको ऽपि गयां व्रजेत्

Transliteration

akṣayāllaṃbhate lokānkulānāmuddharecchatam / eṣṭavyā bahavaḥ puttrā yadyeko 'pi gayāṃ vrajet

Translation

ด้วยการประกอบพิธีศราทธ์ที่คยาอันเป็นกรรมไม่เสื่อม ผู้กระทำย่อมได้โลกอันไม่สิ้นสลาย และยังยกกูลวงศ์ได้ถึงร้อยคน เพราะฉะนั้นพึงปรารถนาบุตรมาก ๆ—เพียงมีสักคนไปยังคยาก็พอ

Word by Word

• अक्षयात्: from the imperishable (merit)
• अक्षयात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; ‘अक्षयात्’ = from the imperishable (merit)

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• लोकान्: worlds
• लोकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• कुलानाम्: of the families/lineages
• कुलानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• उद्धरेत्: should uplift/deliver
• उद्धरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (Measure/परिमाण-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/परिमाण), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• एष्टव्याः: should be sought/desired
• एष्टव्याः: Vidhaya (Predicate qualifier/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष् (धातु) + तव्य (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘to be desired/sought’

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पुत्त्राः: sons
• पुत्त्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन; पाठभेद ‘पुत्त्र’ = ‘पुत्र’

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Clause linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle)

• एकः: one
• एकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव

• गयाम्: to Gayā
• गयाम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म-लक्ष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/गति-लक्ष्य), एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Gayā-śrāddha during pilgrimage (tīrtha-śrāddha; often linked with specific lunar days per local tradition)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-śrāddha at Gayā produces akṣaya merit and uplifts many ancestors; family duty motivates ensuring continuity of rites.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala and saṃskāra as supports for pitṛ-yajña within dharma; worldly means oriented toward higher gati.

Application: Undertake Gayā-śrāddha for ancestors; maintain family continuity of śrāddha through responsible household life and training heirs in ritual duty.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha (pilgrimage center)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa/Śrāddha sections on Gayā-śrāddha and akṣaya-phala; Narratives emphasizing piṇḍa-dāna freeing pretas

Characters & Entities

• Gayā
• Kula (lineage)
• Putra (son)

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gayā as a uniquely powerful place for ancestral rites, where the merit is described as imperishable and capable of elevating many members of the family line.

How does this verse relate to helping ancestors (Pitṛs)?

It states that the act connected with Gayā can ‘uplift’ (uddharet) a hundred from one’s kula, implying strong salvific efficacy for forebears through śrāddha/piṇḍa offerings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain regular śrāddha and remembrance of ancestors; if possible, perform or sponsor Gayā-related rites with sincerity, and live responsibly so that family duties (pitṛ-ṛṇa) are honored.