Shloka 9

Account of Various Sacred Tīrthas

Pilgrimage Merits and Prayāga Supremacy

Devanagari script

शोणस्य नर्मदायाश्च प्रभवे कुरुपुंगव । वंशगुल्ममुपस्पृश्य वाजिमेधफलं लभेत्

Transliteration

śoṇasya narmadāyāśca prabhave kurupuṃgava | vaṃśagulmamupaspṛśya vājimedhaphalaṃ labhet

Translation

يا أفضلَ الكُرُو، عند منبع نهر شُوṇa (Śoṇa) ونهر نَرْمَدَا (Narmadā)، مَن لمس غَيْضةَ الخيزران نال ثوابًا يعادل ثمرة أشفاميدها (Aśvamedha) ذبيحة الحصان.

Word by Word

• शोणस्य: of Śoṇa
• शोणस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• नर्मदायाः: of Narmadā
• नर्मदायाः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction) ‘and’

• प्रभवे: at the source
• प्रभवे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (place): ‘at the source/origin’

• कुरुपुङ्गव: O best of the Kurus
• कुरुपुङ्गव: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + पुङ्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: कुरूणां पुङ्गवः (‘bull among Kurus’); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• वंश-गुल्मम्: a bamboo clump
• वंश-गुल्मम्: कर्म (Karma/Object) (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक) + गुल्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (determinative): वंशस्य गुल्मः/वंशगुल्मः (‘bamboo clump/thicket’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उपस्पृश्य: having touched
• उपस्पृश्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial; prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप- स्पृश् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्यय (Gerund); पूर्वक्रिया: “having touched (ritually)”

• वाजिमेध-फलम्: the fruit of the Vājimedha sacrifice
• वाजिमेध-फलम्: कर्म (Karma/Object) (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजिमेध (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: वाजिमेधस्य फलम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: क्रिया (Verb action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Pulastya (to Bhīṣma)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: नर्मदायाश्च = नर्मदायाः + च; वंशगुल्ममुपस्पृश्य = वंशगुल्मम् + उपस्पृश्य; कुरुपुंगव = कुरु-पुङ्गव (compound in vocative).

Characters & Entities

• Śoṇa
• Narmadā
• Kuru

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the geography of sacred Tirthas?

It treats river-sources (prabhava) as especially potent tīrthas, naming the origins of the Śoṇa and Narmadā as places where even a simple act like ritual touching can yield great religious merit.

How does this verse emphasize the path of Bhakti?

It highlights an accessible form of devotion—reverent contact with a sacred place—showing that sincere, simple acts at tīrthas can substitute for elaborate rites, aligning with Purāṇic encouragement of approachable piety.

What is the ethical lesson from this dialogue?

The verse implies that humility and reverence toward sacred geography, along with disciplined pilgrimage conduct, can generate profound merit without reliance on costly or violent sacrificial performances.