Shloka 131

Brahmā’s Puṣkara Sacrifice: Ṛtvij System, Sāvitrī’s Reconciliation, Tīrtha-Catalogue, Śrāddha & Initiation Rites, and Vrata Fruits

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । पुष्करेहं सुरश्रेष्ठो गयायां च चतुर्मुखः । कान्यकुब्जे देवगर्भो भृगुकक्षे पितामहः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | puṣkarehaṃ suraśreṣṭho gayāyāṃ ca caturmukhaḥ | kānyakubje devagarbho bhṛgukakṣe pitāmahaḥ

Translation

Brahmā sprach: „In Puṣkara bin ich (bekannt als) Suraśreṣṭha; in Gayā als Caturmukha, der Viergesichtige. In Kānyakubja (heiße ich) Devagarbha; und in Bhṛgukakṣa Pitāmaha, der Urgroßvater.“

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुष्करे: in Puṣkara
• पुष्करे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (स्थाननाम), सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सुरश्रेष्ठः: best of the gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; सुर + श्रेष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुराणां श्रेष्ठः)

• गयायाम्: in Gayā
• गयायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चतुर्मुखः: the four-faced one
• चतुर्मुखः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्-मुख (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर् + मुख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्यानि चत्वारि मुखानि सः)

• कान्यकुब्जे: in Kānyakubja
• कान्यकुब्जे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्यकुब्ज (प्रातिपदिक; स्थाननाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (स्थाननाम), सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• देवगर्भः: Devagarbha (name/title)
• देवगर्भः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक; देव + गर्भ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां गर्भः/देवगर्भ-नाम)

• भृगुकक्षे: in Bhṛgukakṣa
• भृगुकक्षे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु-कक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; भृगु + कक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (स्थाननाम), सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भृगोः कक्षः)

• पितामहः: the grandsire
• पितामहः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: ब्रह्मोवाच = ब्रह्मा + उवाच; पुष्करेहं = पुष्करे + अहम्; सुरश्रेष्ठो = सुरश्रेष्ठः (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते); अन्यत्र स्पष्टम्।

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Puṣkara
• Gayā
• Kānyakubja
• Bhṛgukakṣa

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the geography of sacred Tīrthas?

It links specific pilgrimage sites (Puṣkara, Gayā, Kānyakubja, Bhṛgukakṣa) with distinct names of Brahmā, mapping theology onto sacred geography—each place is portrayed as a locus where a particular divine aspect is especially recognized.

How does this verse emphasize the path of Bhakti?

By presenting revered places where Brahmā is worshipped under particular epithets, the verse supports devotional practice through tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage) and place-centered remembrance of the deity’s forms and titles.

What is the ethical lesson from this dialogue?

It encourages reverence for sacred places and traditions, suggesting humility and gratitude: the divine is honored through multiple names and contexts, and seekers cultivate merit by respectful engagement with established tīrthas.