Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा पितामहं देवं सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते / लोकं त्वनामयं याति दृष्ट्वा च प्रपितामहम्

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā pitāmahaṃ devaṃ sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate / lokaṃ tvanāmayaṃ yāti dṛṣṭvā ca prapitāmaham

Translation

پِتامہ دیو (برہما) کے دیدار سے سب گناہوں سے نجات ملتی ہے؛ اور پرپِتامہ کے دیدار سے انسان بےآفت و بےرنج لوک کو پاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

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

• पितामहम्: Pitāmaha (a deity/holy form)
• पितामहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; पितामहस्य समानाधिकरण (apposition)

• सर्वपापैः: from all sins
• सर्वपापैः: Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; अपादानार्थे तृतीया (instrumental used for ‘from’)

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

• लोकम्: to the world
• लोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (goal as object of motion)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Emphasis (Nipata/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis particle)

• अनामयम्: free from disease/sorrow
• अनामयम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन् + आमय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; लोकम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषण

• याति: goes/attains
• याति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रपितामहम्: Prapitāmaha (great-grandfather form/deity)
• प्रपितामहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Darśana of exalted deities/ancestral cosmic principles yields pāpa-kṣaya and leads to a higher, suffering-free realm.

Vedantic Theme: Purification (citta-śuddhi) through sacred contact; hierarchical lokas as karma-phala; movement from pāpa to puṇya-supported well-being.

Application: Cultivate purity and devotion that qualifies one for sacred darśana (temple worship, vows, ethical living); interpret ‘disease-free world’ as both spiritual well-being and reduced afflictive karma.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana phala-śruti passages where darśana of deities/tīrthas destroys sins and grants higher lokas; Garuda Purana cosmology sections describing lokas and their qualities (ānāmaya, duḥkha-rahita)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma (Pitamaha)
• Prapitamaha (Great-Grandfather/Progenitor principle)

FAQs

What is the importance of Pitamaha-darshana in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that beholding the divine Pitamaha (Brahmā) leads to release from all sins, emphasizing darśana as a purifier and merit-generating act.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It links spiritual vision/encounter with higher divine-ancestral principles to purification (freedom from pāpa) and attainment of an affliction-free realm, indicating that inner purity shapes one’s post-mortem destination.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate reverence for the divine and ancestral lineage through remembrance, ethical living, and sincere worship; the teaching highlights that purity of mind and devotion are central to reducing negative karmic burden.