Shloka 96

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

Devanagari script

मुंडपृष्ठनगाधस्तात्फल्गुतीर्थमनुत्तमम । अत्र श्राद्धादिना सर्वे पितरो मोक्षमाप्नुयुः ॥ ९६ ॥

Transliteration

muṃḍapṛṣṭhanagādhastātphalgutīrthamanuttamama | atra śrāddhādinā sarve pitaro mokṣamāpnuyuḥ || 96 ||

Translation

ใต้ภูเขามุณฑปฤษฐะมีท่าน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ‘ผลคุตีรถะ’ อันยอดเยี่ยมยิ่ง ที่นี่เมื่อประกอบศราทธ์และพิธีเกี่ยวเนื่อง บรรพชนทั้งปวงย่อมบรรลุโมกษะ।

Word by Word

• मुण्डपृष्ठनग-अधस्तात्: below Mount Muṇḍapṛṣṭha
• मुण्डपृष्ठनग-अधस्तात्: अधिकरण/देश (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + नग (प्रातिपदिक) + अधस्तात् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययत्वेन प्रयोगः; अर्थः—‘मुण्डपृष्ठनगस्य अधः’ (below Mount Muṇḍapṛṣṭha)

• फल्गुतीर्थम्: Phalgu-tīrtha
• फल्गुतीर्थम्: कर्म/विषय (Object/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल्गु (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying फल्गुतीर्थम्)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• श्राद्धादिना: by śrāddha and the like (rites)
• श्राद्धादिना: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (श्राद्धम् आदि यस्य तत्/श्राद्ध-आदि-कर्मणा)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying पितरः)

• पितरः: the ancestors
• पितरः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आप्नुयुः: would attain / may attain
• आप्नुयुः: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada (describing the tirtha-mahatmya to the Sanatkumara brothers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Phalgu Tirtha
• Muṇḍapṛṣṭha Mountain
• Pitaras (ancestors)

FAQs

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

It elevates Phalgu Tirtha as an exceptional pilgrimage site where pitṛ-kārya (ancestral duties) such as śrāddha are said to directly aid the ancestors in attaining mokṣa.

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

While focused on pitṛ-dharma, it supports bhakti in practice by framing ritual offerings and pilgrimage as faith-filled acts done in a sacred kṣetra, oriented toward liberation rather than mere worldly merit.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied: śrāddha and allied rites are presented as structured Vedic duties whose correct performance at a tirtha yields specific spiritual results for the pitaras.