Shloka 51

Puruṣottama-māhātmya

The Greatness of Puruṣottama Kṣetra

Devanagari script

तत्र संकर्षणं कृष्णं सुभद्रां स्थाप्य वीर्यवान् । पंचतीर्थं च विधिवत्कृत्वा तत्र महीपतिः ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

tatra saṃkarṣaṇaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ subhadrāṃ sthāpya vīryavān | paṃcatīrthaṃ ca vidhivatkṛtvā tatra mahīpatiḥ || 51 ||

Translation

Dort stellte der kraftvolle König Saṅkarṣaṇa, Kṛṣṇa und Subhadrā auf; und nachdem er das Pañca-tīrtha ordnungsgemäß nach dem Ritus eingerichtet hatte, blieb der Herrscher der Erde dort, da die heilige Ordnung vollendet war.

Word by Word

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

• संकर्षणम्: Saṅkarṣaṇa (Balarāma)
• संकर्षणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (देवनाम)

• कृष्णम्: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (देवनाम)

• सुभद्राम्: Subhadrā
• सुभद्राम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुभद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• स्थाप्य: having installed
• स्थाप्य: पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) from causative sense 'स्थापयति' (to install/place): 'having installed/placed'

• वीर्यवान्: valiant/powerful
• वीर्यवान्: कर्तृ-विशेषण (qualifier of mahīpatiḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पञ्चतीर्थम्: the group of five tīrthas
• पञ्चतीर्थम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numerical compound: 'five tīrthas'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विधिवत्: duly
• विधिवत्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: 'according to rule')

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), 'having done/made'

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

• महीपतिः: the king (lord of the earth)
• महीपतिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: 'lord of the earth'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (to the Sanatkumara brothers, in Uttara-Bhaga tirtha narration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Saṅkarṣaṇa (Balarāma)
• Kṛṣṇa
• Subhadrā
• Mahīpati (the King)

FAQs

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

It presents tīrtha-śraddhā as lived dharma: a righteous ruler sanctifies a place by installing Bhagavān’s forms and establishing a pañca-tīrtha by proper ritual, making the site a lasting field for merit and devotion.

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

Bhakti appears here as sevā and pratiṣṭhā—honoring Kṛṣṇa, Saṅkarṣaṇa, and Subhadrā through स्थापना (enshrinement) and vidhivat worship, turning pilgrimage into remembrance and service to the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The key practical emphasis is Kalpa (ritual procedure): the phrase vidhivat indicates performance according to scriptural injunctions for consecration and tīrtha-establishment.