Shloka 30

The Greatness of Kāśī (Kāśī-māhātmya) and Avimukta’s Liberative Power

Devanagari script

तत्र मुक्तं कपालं तु शिवेन सुमहात्मना । तस्मिंस्तीर्थे तु ये गत्वा पिंडदानेन वै पितॄन् ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

tatra muktaṃ kapālaṃ tu śivena sumahātmanā | tasmiṃstīrthe tu ye gatvā piṃḍadānena vai pitṝn || 30 ||

Translation

Dort legte der großherzige Śiva den Schädel ab. Wer zu diesem heiligen Tīrtha geht und dort den Pitṛs (Ahnen) Piṇḍa-Opfer darbringt, erwirkt ihnen wahrlich Nutzen.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• मुक्तम्: released/let go
• मुक्तम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुच् (धातु) → मुक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कपालम्: skull
• कपालम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थ

• शिवेन: by Shiva
• शिवेन: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• सुमहात्मना: by the very great-souled (one)
• सुमहात्मना: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु- + महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः कर्मधारय (सु + महात्मा = very great-souled)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• ये: those who
• ये: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having gone)

• पिण्डदानेन: by offering rice-balls (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डदानेन: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्डदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पिण्डस्य दानम्)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• पितॄन्: the ancestors
• पितॄन्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narada (narrating tirtha-mahatmya in Uttara-Bhaga style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Pitrs

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It links a specific tīrtha’s sanctity to Śiva’s act of releasing the skull and teaches that performing piṇḍa-dāna there is especially efficacious for honoring and benefiting one’s ancestors (Pitṛs).

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Bhakti is expressed here as reverent action: traveling to a sacred place connected with a divine līlā (Śiva’s act) and serving dharma through ancestor rites, which is treated as a devotional, merit-producing practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application (Kalpa/Śrauta-Smārta practice): the verse emphasizes piṇḍa-dāna as a concrete śrāddha-related rite to be performed at a tīrtha for Pitṛ-satisfaction.