Shloka 16

Kuru's Consecration — Kuru’s Consecration and the Sanctification of Samantapañcaka (Kurukshetra)

Devanagari script

समन्तपञ्चकं नाम धर्मस्थानमनुत्तमम् आकमन्ताद् योजनानि पञ्च च सर्वतः

Transliteration

samantapañcakaṃ nāma dharmasthānamanuttamam ākamantād yojanāni pañca ca sarvataḥ

Translation

هناك مقامٌ مقدّسٌ لا نظير له للدارما يُدعى «سَمَنْتَپَنْچَكَ»؛ ومن «آكامَنْتا» يمتدّ خمسَ يوجَناتٍ في كل الجهات.

Word by Word

• samanta-pañcakam: Samantapañcaka (name of a place)
• samanta-pañcakam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samanta (प्रातिपदिक) + pañcaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (samantaṃ pañcakaṃ = ‘five all around’; proper name)

• nāma: named
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, नामनिर्देशार्थक (particle: ‘named/called’)

• dharma-sthānam: a place of righteousness
• dharma-sthānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dharmasya sthānam = place of dharma)

• anuttamam: unsurpassed, excellent
• anuttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anuttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying dharmasthānam)

• ā: up to
• ā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: अव्यय, मर्यादार्थक/आवधिपर्यन्त (up to, as far as)

• kamantāt: from the edge/boundary (as in text)
• kamantāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kamantā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘from ... side’; पाठे ‘ākamantād’ इति, सम्भाव्यं ‘ā + kamantāt’

• yojanāni: yojanas (distance units)
• yojanāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• pañca: five
• pañca: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या (indeclinable numeral), here qualifying yojanāni

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक

• sarvataḥ: on all sides
• sarvataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (adverb: on all sides)

Speakers

• Narrator layer not explicit in the provided excerpt (likely within Pulastya–Nārada frame typical of the Purāṇa)

Key Themes

• Sacred Geography
• Tirtha Mahatmya
• Dharma
• Pilgrimage (kṣetra-pramāṇa)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is anchored in sacred space as well as conduct: the text signals that certain regions are regarded as concentrated fields of merit (puṇya-kṣetra), where righteous acts, vows, and rites are especially efficacious.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily within 'Vamśānucarita/Ākhyāna' framing that introduces a kṣetra-māhātmya; more specifically it functions as tīrtha-prasaṃśā (praise of a holy place) rather than sarga/pratisarga. It supports dharmaśāstric orientation typical of Purāṇic kṣetra sections.

What is the symbolic significance?

By defining Samantapañcaka’s extent, the Purāṇa maps dharma onto geography: boundaries and measures sacralize the landscape, turning the region into a ritual mandala where order (dharma) is spatially embodied.