Shloka 87

Account of Various Sacred Tīrthas

Pilgrimage Merits and Prayāga Supremacy

Devanagari script

द्वापरे तु कुरुक्षेत्रं गंगा कलियुगे स्मृता । पुष्करे तु तपस्तप्येद्दानं दद्यान्महालये

Transliteration

dvāpare tu kurukṣetraṃ gaṃgā kaliyuge smṛtā | puṣkare tu tapastapyeddānaṃ dadyānmahālaye

Translation

في عصر دفابارا يُعلَن كوركشيترا أقدس المواضع؛ وفي عصر كالي تُذكر الغانغا كذلك. فليُمارَس التقشّف في بوشكارا، ولتُقدَّم الصدقة في مهالايا.

Word by Word

• द्वापरे: in the Dvāpara (yuga)
• द्वापरे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-युगनाम; सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: and/but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• कुरुक्षेत्रम्: Kurukṣetra
• कुरुक्षेत्रम्: Karta-anvaya (Predicate nominative/प्राधान्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुक्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गंगा: the Ganges
• गंगा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कलियुगे: in the Kali-yuga
• कलियुगे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलियुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'कलिः युगम्'

• स्मृता: is regarded (as)
• स्मृता: Kriya (Predicative passive/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) used predicatively; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'is remembered/considered'

• पुष्करे: at Puṣkara
• पुष्करे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तु: and/but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तप्येत्: should practice (austerity)
• तप्येत्: Kriya (Injunctive/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Injunctive/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• महालये: at Mahālaya
• महालये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महालय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-स्थाननाम; सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'महत् आलयः'

Speaker

Pulastya (to Bhīṣma)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: तपस्तप्येत् = तपः + तप्येत् (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + त → स् + त). दद्यान्महालये = दद्यात् + महालये (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: त् + म → न्म्).

Characters & Entities

• Kurukṣetra
• Gaṅgā
• Kali-yuga
• Dvāpara-yuga
• Puṣkara
• Mahālaya

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the geography of sacred tīrthas across the yugas?

It presents a yuga-wise mapping of spiritual emphasis: Kurukṣetra is highlighted for Dvāpara, Gaṅgā for Kali, Puṣkara for austerities, and Mahālaya for charitable giving—showing that sacred practice is contextualized by time and rite.

How does this verse guide religious practice in Kali-yuga specifically?

It singles out the Gaṅgā as especially remembered in Kali-yuga, implying that association with the Gaṅgā (pilgrimage, bathing, worship) is a particularly accessible and potent form of merit in this age.

What is the ethical lesson taught by pairing tapas and dāna with specific places/occasions?

It teaches disciplined allocation of effort: undertake austerity where it is traditionally intensified (Puṣkara) and prioritize generosity where it is ritually and morally emphasized (Mahālaya), integrating personal restraint with social/ancestral responsibility.