Shloka 103

Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules

Devanagari script

प्रयागे नैमिषे यच्च कुरुक्षेत्रे तर्थाबुदे / गङ्गायां यमुनायाञ्च सिन्धुसागरसंगमे

Transliteration

prayāge naimiṣe yacca kurukṣetre tarthābude / gaṅgāyāṃ yamunāyāñca sindhusāgarasaṃgame

Translation

บุญกุศลที่ได้ ณ ประยาคะและไนมิษะ และ ณ กุรุเกษตร—ดุจมหาสมุทรแห่งทิรถะ—ตลอดจนในคงคาและยมุนา และ ณ จุดบรรจบแห่งสินธุกับมหาสมุทร—

Word by Word

• प्रयागे: in Prayāga
• प्रयागे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• नैमिषे: in Naimiṣa
• नैमिषे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• यत्: which/whatever
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कुरुक्षेत्रे: in Kurukṣetra
• कुरुक्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुक्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुरूणां क्षेत्रम्)

• तीर्थ-अबुदे: in the multitude/collection of tīrthas
• तीर्थ-अबुदे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + अबुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (तीर्थेषु अबुदः/समूहः)

• गङ्गायाम्: in the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• यमुनायाम्: in the Yamunā
• यमुनायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमुना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सिन्धु-सागर-संगमे: at the confluence of the Sindhu and the ocean
• सिन्धु-सागर-संगमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिन्धु (प्रातिपदिक) + सागर (प्रातिपदिक) + संगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (सिन्धोः सागरस्य च संगमः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Puṇya accrues through contact with tīrthas and sacred waters; place amplifies the fruit of righteous acts like dāna.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala operates within māyika order; sacred loci function as upādhis that intensify saṃskāra and sattva, preparing the mind for higher pursuit.

Application: Undertake pilgrimage or mentally invoke these tīrthas during worship; perform dāna/snānā/śrāddha with purity of intent, especially at confluences and dharma-kṣetras.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha/river confluence/holy field

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta/Śrāddha sections): repeated tīrtha-mahātmyas and dāna-praśaṃsā passages around bed-gift (śayyā-dāna) and śrāddha merits

Characters & Entities

• Prayaga
• Naimisha
• Kurukshetra
• Ganga
• Yamuna
• Sindhu
• Sagara

FAQs

What is the importance of tīrthas like Prayāga and Kurukṣetra in the Garuda Purana?

This verse clusters major pilgrimage sites and river-confluences as places where religious acts (especially rites connected with purification and ancestral offerings) are believed to yield exceptionally high merit.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana teachings on death rituals?

In the Preta Kanda context, such tīrtha references commonly frame where śrāddha, tarpaṇa, and piṇḍa-dāna are considered especially efficacious for supporting the departed and accruing dharmic merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If possible, perform remembrance, charity, and ancestral rites at revered rivers or confluences; otherwise, replicate the intent through sincere śrāddha, japa, and dāna performed with purity and devotion wherever you are.