Shloka 17

The Greatness of Offering Piṇḍas at Viṣṇvādipada (Viṣṇupada) — Gayā Śrāddha Procedure and Fruits

Devanagari script

गयाशिरे नगाद्याश्च साक्षात्तत्फलगुतीर्थकम् । मुखं गयासुरस्यैतत्स्नात्वा श्राद्धं समाचरेत् ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

gayāśire nagādyāśca sākṣāttatphalagutīrthakam | mukhaṃ gayāsurasyaitatsnātvā śrāddhaṃ samācaret || 17 ||

Translation

在伽耶希罗（Gayāśira）及其相邻诸圣地，此处即是显现的法尔古圣渡（Phalgu-tīrtha）；相传这里正是阿修罗伽耶苏罗（Gayāsura）的面容。于此沐浴之后，应如法修行 śrāddha 祭祖之仪。

Word by Word

• गया-शिरे: at Gayāśiras
• गया-शिरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नग-आद्याः: the (places) beginning with the mountain (etc.)
• नग-आद्याः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: नगः आदिः येषाम् ते (those beginning with the mountain/peaks); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• साक्षात्: directly
• साक्षात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात/क्रियाविशेषण

• तत्-फल्गु-तीर्थकम्: that Phalgu-tīrtha itself
• तत्-फल्गु-तीर्थकम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + फल्गु (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (बहुपद): तत् फल्गुतीर्थकम् (that very Phalgu-tīrthaka); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• मुखम्: the mouth/face
• मुखम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• गया-असुरस्य: of the demon Gayāsura
• गया-असुरस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: गयासुरः; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun) used adjectivally; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive): ‘having bathed’

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• समाचरेत्: should duly perform
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the Gaya-tirtha Mahatmya narrative)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Gayā
• Phalgu (Phalgu-tīrtha)
• Gayāsura
• Pitṛs (implied through śrāddha)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It identifies Phalgu-tīrtha in Gayā as a manifestly potent place for purification; bathing here is presented as the proper preparation for śrāddha, linking tīrtha-snānā to effective Pitṛ-dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

While primarily ritual-focused, it supports bhakti through reverent action: honoring sacred geography associated with divine/puranic events and serving the Pitṛs as a dharmic offering performed with faith and purity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual discipline) is emphasized: perform snāna at the prescribed tīrtha and then conduct śrāddha in due form, reflecting the procedural ordering central to Vedic rites.