Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

कथं पुत्रादयः स्युर्मे विप्राश्चोतुर्विशालकम् / गयायां पिण्डदानेन तव सर्वं भविष्यति

Transliteration

kathaṃ putrādayaḥ syurme viprāścoturviśālakam / gayāyāṃ piṇḍadānena tava sarvaṃ bhaviṣyati

Translation

اے برہمنو! مجھے بیٹے وغیرہ کیسے حاصل ہوں گے اور بڑی خوشحالی کیسے ملے گی؟ گیا میں پِنڈ دان کرنے سے تمہارے لیے یہ سب پورا ہو جائے گا۔

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• पुत्र-आदयः: sons and others
• पुत्र-आदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’समासान्तेन ‘पुत्रादयः’ = sons and others

• स्युः: may be / would become
• स्युः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• मे: of me / my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन; enclitic form

• विप्राः: brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उतुर्विशालकम्: Viśālaka (name) (with particle)
• उतुर्विशालकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उतु (अव्यय/निपात; पाठभेद/दुष्पाठ-संभाव्य) + विशालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: ‘विशालकम्’ नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘उतु’ निपातः (particle) — पाठे संदिग्धम्

• गयायाम्: in Gayā
• गयायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पिण्ड-दानॆन: by the offering of piṇḍa
• पिण्ड-दानॆन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; पिण्डस्य दानम् = offering of rice-balls

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here as object-complement ‘everything’

• भविष्यति: will happen / will come to be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator/Instructional voice within the ritual discourse (Ācāra-kāṇḍa context; commonly framed as teaching transmitted in the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: At Gayā tīrtha during śrāddha-eligible days (often associated with Gayā-śrāddha season; otherwise as prescribed by priests).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual action at a potent tīrtha yields tangible phala; piṇḍa-dāna functions as a karmic remedy and boon-bestower.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyama under īśvara; sacred geography as a field where dharma is intensified (tīrtha-mahātmyam).

Application: Perform śrāddha/piṇḍa-dāna at Gayā (or with proper substitutes if unable), with śraddhā and correct procedure, dedicating merit to pitṛs and seeking dharmic prosperity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha (pilgrimage site)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Gayā-śrāddha/śrāddha-mahātmyas (general); Garuda Purana: pitṛ-tarpaṇa and piṇḍa-dāna phala passages (general)

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Gayā
• Piṇḍa-dāna

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayā piṇḍa-dāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gayā piṇḍa-dāna as a highly potent rite believed to fulfill major aims—especially lineage-blessings (sons/continuity) and broad prosperity—through ancestral offerings.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey and ancestral rites?

By emphasizing piṇḍa-dāna at Gayā, the verse situates śrāddha as a key dharmic act linked with supporting ancestral satisfaction and the family’s well-being, which in Garuda Purana framing is intertwined with post-death duties and ritual continuity.

Practical application of this teaching today?

Perform śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna with proper guidance and sincerity—especially when undertaking Gayā śrāddha—while also honoring the broader ethic of dharma: care for family, charity, and respect for sacred rites.