Shloka 24

Tīrtha-Māhātmya and the Discipline of Pilgrimage (Tīrtha-sevā) within Prāyaścitta

Devanagari script

प्रायश्चित्तप्रसङ्गेन तीर्थमाहात्म्यमीरितम् / यः पठेच्छृणुयाद् वापि मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः

Transliteration

prāyaścittaprasaṅgena tīrthamāhātmyamīritam / yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyād vāpi mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ

Translation

Hier, im Zusammenhang mit der Darlegung der prāyaścitta (Sühneriten), ist die Größe der heiligen tīrthas verkündet worden. Wer es rezitiert oder auch nur hört, wird von allen Sünden befreit.

Word by Word

• प्रायश्चित्तप्रसङ्गेन: by occasion of expiation
• प्रायश्चित्तप्रसङ्गेन: Karana (करण/Instrument-Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त + प्रसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रायश्चित्तस्य प्रसङ्गः)

• तीर्थमाहात्म्यम्: the greatness of sacred places
• तीर्थमाहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थस्य माहात्म्यम्)

• ईरितम्: has been declared
• ईरितम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘कथितम्’ इत्यर्थः

• यः: whoever
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• पठेत्: should read
• पठेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शृणुयात्: should hear
• शृणुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक निपात (also/even)

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

• सर्वपातकैः: from all sins
• सर्वपातकैः: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative-source; ‘from’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वाणि पातकानि)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) to the assembled sages (Naimiṣāraṇya frame), presenting Kurma Purana’s teaching on prāyaścitta and tīrtha-māhātmya

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Prāyaścitta
• Tīrtha
• Pātaka

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes purification through śravaṇa (hearing) and pāṭha (recitation), which in Purāṇic practice prepares the mind for Self-knowledge by reducing pāpa (sin) and inner impurity that obstructs realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights devotional-dharmic disciplines allied to Yoga—śravaṇa and pāṭha as purifying practices. In the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis, such purity supports higher sādhana (including Pāśupata-oriented restraint and contemplation) by stabilizing conduct and mind.

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

Not explicitly; yet it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative method—purification through dharma (prāyaścitta) and sacred places (tīrthas) is presented as universally efficacious, a shared Purāṇic framework across Shaiva and Vaishnava streams leading toward the same liberating aim.