Shloka 42

Tīrtha-Māhātmya of the Sarasvatī Region and the Praise of Kurukṣetra

Pilgrimage Merits

Devanagari script

त्रिरात्रोपोषितः स्नात्वा मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया । अग्निष्टोमातिरात्राभ्यां फलं चैव समश्नुते

Transliteration

trirātropoṣitaḥ snātvā mucyate brahmahatyayā | agniṣṭomātirātrābhyāṃ phalaṃ caiva samaśnute

Translation

Wer drei Nächte fastet und dann badet, wird vom Makel der Brahmanentötung befreit; und er erlangt zudem Verdienst, das dem der Opfer Agniṣṭoma und Atirātra gleich ist.

Word by Word

• त्रिरात्रोपोषितः: one who has fasted for three nights
• त्रिरात्रोपोषितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिरात्र-उपोषित (प्रातिपदिक; उपोषित = उप-उपवास् धातोः क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘उपोषित’ with उपसर्ग ‘उप-’; समासः: त्रिरात्रे उपोषितः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having bathed’

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘is released’

• ब्रह्महत्यया: from/with the sin of brahmin-slaying
• ब्रह्महत्यया: Hetu/Instrument (करण/हेतु; तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्महत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः: ब्रह्मणः हत्या (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• अग्निष्टोमातिरात्राभ्याम्: by (the rites of) Agniṣṭoma and Atirātra
• अग्निष्टोमातिरात्राभ्याम्: Instrument (करण; तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निष्टोम + अतिरात्र (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (यज्ञनाम), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: अग्निष्टोमश्च अतिरात्रश्च; ‘by/through Agniṣṭoma and Atirātra’

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Nipata (निपात; अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• समश्नुते: attains fully
• समश्नुते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु) with उपसर्ग सम्-
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘attains/partakes fully’

Speaker

Unspecified (context-dependent within Svarga-khaṇḍa dialogues; commonly framed as Pulastya speaking to Bhīṣma in many Padma Purāṇa sections)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: त्रिरात्रोपोषितः = त्रिरात्र + उपोषितः; चैव = च + एव

Characters & Entities

• Agniṣṭoma
• Atirātra
• Brahmahatyā

FAQs

What practice is prescribed in this verse for expiation?

A three-night fast (trirātra-upavāsa) followed by ritual bathing (snāna) is presented as an expiatory discipline.

Why are Agniṣṭoma and Atirātra mentioned here?

They represent major Vedic soma-sacrifices; the verse states that the practitioner gains merit comparable to the results of these yajñas.

What ethical lesson is implied by the verse’s focus on brahmahatyā?

It underscores the gravity of harming the innocent and the sacred duty to pursue purification, restraint, and restitution through disciplined religious practice.