Shloka 14

Moksha and Svarga through Dāna, Tīrtha, Nāma-smaraṇa, and Bhāva

Devanagari script

प्रातः प्रातः प्रपश्यन्ति नर्मदां मत्स्यघातिनः / न ते शिवपुरीं यान्ति चित्तवृत्तिर्गरीयसी

Transliteration

prātaḥ prātaḥ prapaśyanti narmadāṃ matsyaghātinaḥ / na te śivapurīṃ yānti cittavṛttirgarīyasī

Translation

Die Fisch-Töter erblicken den Fluss Narmadā Morgen für Morgen immer wieder; doch sie gelangen nicht in Śivas Stadt, denn ihre Geisteshaltung ist durch jene Sünde beschwert.

Word by Word

• prātaḥ: morning
• prātaḥ: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prātar (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of Time

• prātaḥ: morning
• prātaḥ: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prātar (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of Time (Repetition implies 'every')

• prapaśyanti: they see clearly
• prapaśyanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + dṛś (paś) (धातु)
• Form: Present Tense (Lat), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Plural

• narmadām: River Narmada
• narmadām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: narmadā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• matsyaghātinaḥ: fishermen (fish-killers)
• matsyaghātinaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: matsya + ghātin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• na: not
• na: N/A
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negative Particle

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• śivapurīm: city of Shiva
• śivapurīm: Karma (Destination/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva + purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• yānti: go
• yānti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: Present Tense (Lat), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Plural

• cittavṛttiḥ: state of mind/mental disposition
• cittavṛttiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citta + vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• garīyasī: superior/more important
• garīyasī: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Comparative Degree, Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-darśana and repeated contact with sacred places are insufficient when citta-vṛtti is tainted by hiṁsā; inner disposition determines spiritual destiny.

Vedantic Theme: Primacy of antaḥkaraṇa-vṛtti over external merit; karma and saṁskāra shape gati; critique of hypocrisy (tīrtha-sevā without dharma).

Application: Practice ahiṁsā and right livelihood; if engaging in pilgrimage/ritual, pair it with ethical reform and repentance; cultivate compassion toward beings.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: river

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: teachings that citta and karma govern post-mortem gati; condemnation of hiṁsā and meat/fish killing in dharma sections (general internal resonance)

Characters & Entities

• Narmada
• Shiva
• Shivapuri

FAQs

What is the importance of Narmada darshan in Garuda Purana?

This verse implies that merely seeing a sacred river repeatedly is not sufficient if one persists in harmful actions; inner conduct (citta-vṛtti) determines spiritual outcome.

How does this verse explain karmic obstruction to higher realms like Śivapurī?

It states that the mind’s tendency becomes “heavy” with the karma of violence (here, killing fish), and that burden prevents ascent to auspicious divine states such as Śiva’s city.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Pair pilgrimage and worship with ethical restraint—reduce harm to living beings and cultivate compassion—so that sacred acts support genuine inner purification.