Shloka 17

Narmadā-tīrtha-māhātmya — Bhṛgu-tīrtha to Sāgara-saṅgama

Pilgrimage Circuit, Gifts, Fasting, and Imperishable Merit

Devanagari script

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र शिखितीर्थमनुत्तमम् / यत् तत्र दीयते दानं सर्वं कोटिगुणं भवेत्

Transliteration

tato gaccheta rājendra śikhitīrthamanuttamam / yat tatra dīyate dānaṃ sarvaṃ koṭiguṇaṃ bhavet

Translation

ثمّ، يا خيرَ الملوك، فليتوجّه المرء إلى تيرثا «شيخيتيرثا» التي لا نظير لها. وأيُّ صدقةٍ (دانا) تُعطى هناك—مهما كان نوعها—تغدو أجرُها مضاعفًا مليونَ مرّة.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb); अर्थे: तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् (thereafter)

• gacchet: should go
• gacchet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/optative-like injunctive usage), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; विधिलिङ्-भावार्थः (should go)

• rājendra: O king of kings
• rājendra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचनम्; पुल्लिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष-समासः (राज्ञाम् इन्द्रः)

• śikhi-tīrtham: the Śikhi sacred ford
• śikhi-tīrtham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhin + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुष-समासः (शिखिनः तीर्थम्)

• anuttamam: unsurpassed
• anuttamam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anuttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (superlative: unsurpassed)

• yat: that which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धसूचकं यत् (relative pronoun: that which)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (locative adverb); अर्थे: तस्मिन् स्थाने (there)

• dīyate: is given
• dīyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive); प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• dānam: a gift/charity
• dānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि वाक्ये कर्तृस्थानी (in passive, grammatical subject)

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (all/entire)

• koṭi-guṇam: million-fold
• koṭi-guṇam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: koṭi + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुष-समासः (कोट्या गुणः = million-fold)

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna (tirtha-yatra discourse context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• King Indradyumna
• Śikhitīrtha
• Tīrtha
• Dāna

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

It does not directly define Ātman; it emphasizes dharma in practice—pilgrimage and dāna—as merit-amplifying supports that purify the mind, a prerequisite for higher knowledge in the Purāṇic (including Ishvara-Gītā) framework.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yogic technique is described; the verse highlights tīrtha-sevā and dāna as auxiliary disciplines (aṅga-upāya) that cultivate sattva and devotion, supporting the broader Kurma Purana path that integrates devotion, ritual duty, and yogic restraint.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Implicitly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: sacred geography and dharma (tīrtha and dāna) function within a shared Purāṇic religious universe where Vaiṣṇava narration (Kurma/Vishnu) affirms practices honored across Shaiva-Vaishnava traditions.