Shloka 7

Pretaśilā at Gayā: Muṇḍapṛṣṭha, Gadādhara’s Manifestation, and the Fruits of Śrāddha & Deity-Worship

Devanagari script

तस्मा द्गिरिः क्रैञ्चपादः पितॄणां ब्रह्मलोकदः / गदाधरादयो देवा आद्या आदौ व्यवस्थिताः

Transliteration

tasmā dgiriḥ kraiñcapādaḥ pitṝṇāṃ brahmalokadaḥ / gadādharādayo devā ādyā ādau vyavasthitāḥ

Translation

پس ‘کرَیَنج پاد’ نامی پہاڑ پِتروں کو برہملوک عطا کرنے والا ہے؛ اور آغاز ہی میں گداآدھر (گرز بردار) پرمیشور سے شروع ہونے والے قدیم دیوتا وہاں قائم کیے گئے۔

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: from that (therefore)
• तस्मात्: अपादान (Source/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative, 5th), एकवचन (singular)

• गिरिः: mountain
• गिरिः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (singular)

• क्रैञ्चपादः: Krañca-foot (name/epithet)
• क्रैञ्चपादः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रैञ्च + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘of Krañca’ + ‘foot’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पितॄणाम्: of the Pitṛs (ancestors)
• पितॄणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (plural)

• ब्रह्मलोकदः: giver of Brahma-loka
• ब्रह्मलोकदः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मलोक + द (दा √दा ‘to give’ → द ‘giver’, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘Brahma-world’ + ‘giver’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गदाधरादयः: Gadādhara and others
• गदाधरादयः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदाधर + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘Gadādhara and others’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• आद्याः: primeval/first
• आद्याः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; देवाः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: अधिकरण (Locative/Adverbial setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), अव्यय-प्रयोगः (adverbial locative sense)

• व्यवस्थिताः: were established/placed
• व्यवस्थिताः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Predicate/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + √स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; देवाः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Gayā-śrāddha context (tīrtha-visit period; often linked with pitṛpakṣa though not stated here)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sacred geography as a conduit of post-mortem uplift for Pitṛs; devas and Viṣṇu’s presence sanctify the kṣetra from the beginning.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sannidhya (divine immanence) making a locus a means (upāya) for higher lokas; karma aided by tīrtha and devotion.

Application: Approach Gayā/Krañcapāda with śraddhā; perform pitṛ-kārya and Viṣṇu-upāsanā there with the understanding that the kṣetra is divinely grounded.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: mountain

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha sections on Gayā-śrāddha and pitṛ-tīrthas (contextual parallel); Garuda Purana passages enumerating Viṣṇu’s primacy and devas’ dependence

Characters & Entities

• Krañcapāda (mountain)
• Pitṛs
• Brahmaloka
• Gadādhara (Vishnu)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of the Pitṛs in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links the Pitṛs with attainment of higher realms (Brahmaloka), emphasizing the Purana’s ancestor-centered cosmology where the Pitṛs have a defined spiritual destination and status.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

Indirectly, it points to graded post-death realms: the Pitṛs are associated with a higher loka (Brahmaloka), suggesting that beings can reach specific worlds based on cosmic order and merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain respect for ancestors and uphold dharmic living; in Garuda Purana thought, honoring the Pitṛs and cultivating merit supports auspicious post-death outcomes.