The Greatness of Gayā
Gayā-Māhātmya
यूपं प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य वाजपेयफलं लभेत् । ततो गच्छेत्तु सुभगे धेनुकं लोकविश्रुतम् ॥ ६८ ॥
yūpaṃ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya vājapeyaphalaṃ labhet | tato gacchettu subhage dhenukaṃ lokaviśrutam || 68 ||
یُوپ کی پرَدَکشِنا کرنے سے واجپَیَ یَجْن کا پھل ملتا ہے۔ پھر، اے خوش نصیب، ‘دھینُک’ نامی عالمگیر مشہور تیرتھ کو جانا چاہیے۔
Sanatkumara (in dialogue to Narada, instructing the tīrtha-route)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
It teaches that simple tīrtha-oriented acts—like pradakṣiṇā around a sacred yūpa—can yield merit equivalent to major Vedic sacrifices, emphasizing accessible paths to puṇya within pilgrimage practice.
While framed as tīrtha-mahātmya, it supports bhakti by valuing reverential bodily worship (pradakṣiṇā) and faithful movement through sacred geography, cultivating remembrance and surrender rather than mere ritual complexity.
Ritual procedure is implied: pradakṣiṇā as an act of honor in yājñika practice, and the concept of yajña-phala (Vājapeya merit) being transferable/attainable through prescribed sacred acts.