Shloka 49

Avimukta-Māhātmya — Vyāsa in Vārāṇasī and Śiva’s Secret Teaching of Liberation

Devanagari script

अन्यत्र सुलभा गङ्गा श्राद्धं दानं तपो जपः / व्रतानि सर्वमेवैतद् वाराणस्यां सुदुर्लभम्

Transliteration

anyatra sulabhā gaṅgā śrāddhaṃ dānaṃ tapo japaḥ / vratāni sarvamevaitad vārāṇasyāṃ sudurlabham

Translation

Anderswo ist die Gaṅgā leicht zu finden, ebenso śrāddha, Gabe, Askese, japa und Gelübde; doch in Vārāṇasī ist all dies in seiner vollendeten Gestalt überaus schwer zu erlangen.

Word by Word

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/avyaya)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: elsewhere)

• सुलभा: easily available
• सुलभा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘गङ्गा’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• गङ्गा: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (कर्ता/समुच्चित)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समुच्चय-गणनायाम् (listed item)

• दानम्: charity
• दानम्: Karta (कर्ता/समुच्चित)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समुच्चय-गणनायाम्

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (कर्ता/समुच्चित)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विसर्गान्त-रूपम्

• जपः: recitation
• जपः: Karta (कर्ता/समुच्चित)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समुच्चय-गणनायाम्

• व्रतानि: vows
• व्रतानि: Karta (कर्ता/समुच्चित)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समुच्चय-गणनायाम्

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘एतत्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• सु-दुर्लभम्: very hard to obtain
• सु-दुर्लभम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘एतत्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; ‘सु’ उपसर्गेण अतिशयः

Speaker

A narrator/teacher voice within the Purva-bhaga tīrtha-māhātmya discourse (Kurma Purana narrative frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)
• Pitṛs (implied by śrāddha)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: it emphasizes that outward acts (śrāddha, dāna, tapas, japa, vrata) become truly “rare” when their inner intention is missing—hinting that the highest aim is inner realization, not mere location-based merit.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Japa (mantra-recitation) and tapas (disciplined austerity) are explicitly named; the verse frames them as sādhanas whose full fruit depends on inner steadiness and dharmic purity, aligning with Purāṇic yoga where practice is validated by intention and restraint.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

By centering Kāśī (a Śaiva tīrtha) while listing universal dharmic practices, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthetic stance: sacred space and sādhanā are honored across sectarian lines, with devotion and discipline as the shared core.