Shloka 35
Gayā-yātrā-vidhi: Multi-day Śrāddha Route, Pitṛ-devatās, and Akṣaya Merit at Gayā
मम नाम्ना गयाशीर्षे पिण्डनिर्वपणं कुरु / प्रेतभावाद्विमुक्तः स्यांस्वर्गदो दातुरेव च
mama nāmnā gayāśīrṣe piṇḍanirvapaṇaṃ kuru / pretabhāvādvimuktaḥ syāṃsvargado dātureva ca
Tại Gayāśīrṣa, hãy dâng piṇḍa nhân danh ta. Người ấy sẽ được giải thoát khỏi thân phận preta, và lễ dâng ấy cũng trở thành nhân ban cõi trời cho chính người cúng dâng.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra in instruction on śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna efficacy)
Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni
Ritual Type: Ekoddishta
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Tīrtha-śrāddha at Gayāśīrṣa performed with the deceased’s name (uddiśya)
Concept: Uddiśya piṇḍa-dāna at the right tīrtha dissolves preta-state; the performer accrues svarga as a direct fruit of compassionate duty.
Vedantic Theme: Transformative power of prescribed karma when aligned with dharma and saṅkalpa; movement from bondage (preta-bhāva) toward higher gati.
Application: If a death is followed by signs of unsettled rites (per tradition), perform named piṇḍa-dāna at Gayā or an equivalent authorized śrāddha setting; accompany with dāna and feeding of brāhmaṇas/poor.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tīrtha-kṣetra / sacred hill-head
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: piṇḍa-dāna as preta-mocana; Gayā-māhātmya style passages within śrāddha chapters
FAQs
This verse states that offering the piṇḍa at Gayāśīrṣa in Vishnu’s name frees the departed from the preta-condition and yields heavenly merit for the performer.
It refers to the intermediate “preta-bhāva” (restless post-death state) and teaches that properly directed śrāddha/piṇḍa offerings can help the departed move beyond that condition.
Perform śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna with correct intention and devotion—especially invoking Vishnu—while living ethically, as ritual support and personal dharma are presented as mutually reinforcing.