Shloka 95

The Procedure for Offering Piṇḍa (Funerary Rice-balls) — Gayā-māhātmya

Devanagari script

नाग कूटाद्गध्रकूटाद्विष्णोश्चोत्तरमानसात् । एतद्गयाशिरः प्रोक्तं फल्गुतीर्थँ तदुच्यते ॥ ९५ ॥

Transliteration

nāga kūṭādgadhrakūṭādviṣṇoścottaramānasāt | etadgayāśiraḥ proktaṃ phalgutīrthaṃ taducyate || 95 ||

Translation

จากนาคกูฏ จากคัธระกูฏ และจากสระอุตตรมานสะของพระวิษณุ—สถานที่นี้ประกาศว่าเป็น ‘คยาศิระ’ และท่าน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์นั้นเรียกว่า ‘ผลคุตีรถะ’।

Word by Word

• नागकूटात्: from Nāga-kūṭa
• नागकूटात्: अपादान (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नागस्य कूटः)

• गध्रकूटात्: from Gadhra-kūṭa
• गध्रकूटात्: अपादान (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गध्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गध्रस्य कूटः)

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उत्तरमानसात्: from Uttara-mānasa (the northern Mānasarovara)
• उत्तरमानसात्: अपादान (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (उत्तरं मानसः = northern lake/Manasa)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: कर्म/विषय (Object/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गयाशिरः: Gayāśiras (the ‘head’ of Gayā)
• गयाशिरः: कर्म/विषय (Object/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गयायाः शिरः)

• प्रोक्तम्: is declared
• प्रोक्तम्: क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘said/declared’

• फल्गुतीर्थम्: Phalgu-tīrtha
• फल्गुतीर्थम्: कर्म/विषय (Object/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल्गु (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (फल्गु-नद्याः तीर्थम् / फल्गु-सम्बन्धि तीर्थम्)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विषय (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahatmya, within the Narada Purana dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"adbhuta","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_journey":"Maps sacred topography with wonder, then settles into calm certainty by naming Gayāśiras and Phalgu-tīrtha."}

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Gaya (Gayā-kshetra)
• Phalgu (Phalgu-tirtha)
• Naga-kuta
• Gadhra-kuta
• Uttara-manasa

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It identifies a specific sacred geography within Gayā-kshetra—called “Gayā-śira” (the crown/head of Gayā)—and names its tīrtha as Phalgu, marking it as a principal locus for merit-bearing pilgrimage and ancestral rites.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By linking the tīrtha to Viṣṇu (Viṣṇoḥ uttara-mānasa), the verse frames pilgrimage and ritual purity as Viṣṇu-centered sacred practice—devotion expressed through reverence to Viṣṇu’s associated holy sites.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects kalpa-oriented application (ritual geography for tīrtha and śrāddha contexts): knowing where a rite is performed (deśa/kshetra) is treated as a practical prerequisite for correct dharmic procedure.