Shloka 29

The Greatness of Kāśī (Avimukta): Pilgrimage Calendar, Yātrā-Dharma, and the Network of Śiva-Liṅgas

Devanagari script

तासां दर्शनमात्रेण ब्रह्महत्या निवर्तिते । एका तु तत्र त्रिस्रोता तथा मंदाकिनी परा ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

tāsāṃ darśanamātreṇa brahmahatyā nivartite | ekā tu tatra trisrotā tathā maṃdākinī parā || 29 ||

Translation

Schon durch das bloße Schauen dieser heiligen Flüsse wird die Sünde der brahma-hatyā (die Tötung eines Brāhmaṇa) getilgt. Einer heißt Trisrotā (dreifach strömend), ein anderer, berühmt, Mandākinī.

Word by Word

• तासाम्: of those (rivers)
• तासाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• दर्शन-मात्रेण: by mere sight
• दर्शन-मात्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('mere seeing'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• ब्रह्म-हत्या: the sin of brahmahatyā
• ब्रह्म-हत्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + हत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('killing of a Brahmin'/brahmahatyā-sin); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निवर्तिते: is removed/ceases
• निवर्तिते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (passive/intransitive sense: 'is removed/ceases')

• एका: one (river)
• एका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (नदी-नाम-निर्देशे)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण/विरोध particle)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक adverb)

• त्रि-स्रोता: Trisrotā (the three-streamed river)
• त्रि-स्रोता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + स्रोतस्/स्रोता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास ('three-streamed'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नदी-नाम

• तथा: also
• तथा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/तुल्यताबोध: 'also/likewise')

• मन्दाकिनी: Mandākinī
• मन्दाकिनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नदी-नाम

• परा: the other/another
• परा: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'मन्दाकिनी' इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Sage Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Trisrota
• Mandakini
• Brahmahatya

FAQs

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

It teaches the tirtha-mahima principle: sacred rivers are so spiritually potent that even their darśana (holy sight) is described as capable of removing the gravest pāpa, emphasizing faith-filled pilgrimage as a purifier of karma.

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

By valuing darśana itself, the verse aligns with bhakti’s core mood—approaching the sacred with reverence and surrender—where contact (seeing/remembering) with holy manifestations supports inner purification and devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Dharmaśāstra-style prayāścitta logic (ritual purification and expiation) applied to tirtha-yātrā: the text assigns a concrete spiritual ‘result’ (puṇya/pāpa-kṣaya) to the act of visiting and beholding specific tirthas.