Shloka 14

The Glory of Bhārata-varṣa: Enumerating Mountains, Rivers, and Regions

Devanagari script

करीषिणीं चित्रवहां त्रिसेनां चैव निम्नगाम् । गोमतीं धूतपापां च चंदनां च महानदीम्

Transliteration

karīṣiṇīṃ citravahāṃ trisenāṃ caiva nimnagām | gomatīṃ dhūtapāpāṃ ca caṃdanāṃ ca mahānadīm

Translation

কৰীষিণী, চিত্ৰৱহা, ত্ৰিসেনা আৰু নিম্নগা; লগতে গোমতী, ধূতপাপা আৰু চন্দনা—এইবোৰো মহা নদী ৰূপে পবিত্ৰ বুলি গণ্য।

Word by Word

• करीषिणीम्: Karīṣiṇī (river name)
• करीषिणीम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करीषिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine/स्त्री), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular/एकवचन)

• चित्रवहाम्: Citravahā (river name)
• चित्रवहाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रवहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: चित्र + वहा (तत्पुरुष; ‘bearing/flowing with variegated [waters]’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• त्रिसेनाम्: Trisenā (river name)
• त्रिसेनाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिसेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: त्रि + सेना (तत्पुरुष), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• निम्नगाम्: Nimnagā (river name)
• निम्नगाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निम्नगा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: निम्न + गा (‘going to low [places]’), तत्पुरुष, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गोमतीम्: Gomatī (river name)
• गोमतीम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धूतपापाम्: Dhūtapāpā (river name; ‘sin-cleansing’)
• धूतपापाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूतपापा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: धूत (PPP of √धू ‘to shake off’) + पापा; कर्मधारय (‘sins-shaken-off/washed-off’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चन्दनाम्: Candanā (river name)
• चन्दनाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• महानदीम्: Mahānadī (river name)
• महानदीम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महानदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: महा + नदी (कर्मधारय; ‘great river’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative catalogue of sacred rivers within the chapter context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: river

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: चैव = च + एव

Characters & Entities

• Karīṣiṇī
• Citravahā
• Trisenā
• Nimnagā
• Gomatī
• Dhūtapāpā
• Candanā

FAQs

What does this verse convey about sacred geography in the Padma Purana?

It catalogs revered rivers by name, reflecting the Purana’s tirtha-oriented sacred geography where rivers are treated as spiritually potent pilgrimage sites.

Why are some rivers given names like “Dhūtapāpā” (sin-washing)?

Such names encode a theological function: contact with, remembrance of, or pilgrimage to these waters is portrayed as purifying and merit-producing (puṇya).

What is the ethical or devotional takeaway from listing rivers as “great”?

The verse encourages reverence for sacred waters and the pilgrimage culture tied to self-purification, restraint, and devotion—valuing inner cleansing alongside outward sacred travel.