Shloka 56

Tīrtha-yātrā-varṇana

Description of Pilgrimage to the Sacred Fords

Devanagari script

अविमुक्तं सदा देवि यः श्रयेदीक्षया नरः । न तस्य पुनरावृत्तिः कल्पकोटिशतैरपि ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

avimuktaṃ sadā devi yaḥ śrayedīkṣayā naraḥ | na tasya punarāvṛttiḥ kalpakoṭiśatairapi || 56 ||

Translation

O Göttin, wer nach Empfang der dīkṣā stets in Avimukta Zuflucht nimmt, für den gibt es keine Wiederkehr zur Wiedergeburt, selbst nach Hunderten von Krore an Kalpas.

Word by Word

• avimuktam: Avimukta (the sacred place)
• avimuktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-vimukta (कृदन्त; वि√मुच् धातु)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle used as substantive (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, संज्ञावत्)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• devi: O Goddess
• devi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/आह्वान), Singular (एकवचन)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun (सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम)

• śrayet: should resort to / take refuge in
• śrayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śri (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• īkṣayā: by (his) seeing / by vision
• īkṣayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īkṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• naraḥ: a man
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेधार्थक अव्यय)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• punar: again
• punar: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (पुनरावृत्तिवाचक अव्यय)

• āvṛttiḥ: return, recurrence
• āvṛttiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āvṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kalpa-koṭi-śataiḥ: even by hundreds of crores of kalpas
• kalpa-koṭi-śataiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + koṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) collective; Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa chain expressing measure/extent (परिमाणवाचक तत्पुरुष)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (समुच्चय/अपि-भावक अव्यय)

Speaker

Narada (narrative voice within the Uttara-Bhaga Tirtha-Mahatmya dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Avimukta (Kashi)

FAQs

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

It declares Avimukta (Kāśī) as a mokṣa-granting kṣetra: one who takes refuge there with proper dīkṣā is said to be freed from punarāvṛtti—returning to saṃsāra—even across immense cosmic time (kalpas).

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

Refuge (śaraṇāgati/śraya) in a divinely protected tirtha, supported by dīkṣā, expresses committed surrender and disciplined devotion—presented here as a direct cause for liberation rather than mere merit-gathering.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to ritual discipline via dīkṣā (initiation), implying correct procedure and mantra-authorization—areas traditionally aligned with Kalpa (ritual practice) and Śikṣā (mantric recitation) in applied Vedic observance.