Shloka 34

The Greatness of Avimukta (Kāśī/Vārāṇasī) and the Doctrine of Liberation-in-One-Life

Devanagari script

शालग्रामं च कुब्जाम्रं कोकामुखमनुत्तमम् । प्रभासं विजयेशानं गोकर्णं भद्रकर्णकम्

Transliteration

śālagrāmaṃ ca kubjāmraṃ kokāmukhamanuttamam | prabhāsaṃ vijayeśānaṃ gokarṇaṃ bhadrakarṇakam

Translation

Und (die heiligen Stätten): Śālagrāma, Kubjāmra, das unvergleichliche Kokāmukha; Prabhāsa, Vijayeśāna, Gokarṇa und Bhadrakarṇaka.

Word by Word

• शालग्रामम्: Śālagrāma (a sacred place/stone)
• शालग्रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (शालस्य ग्रामः/शाल-ग्रामः) तीर्थ-नाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• कुब्जाम्रम्: Kubjāmra (sacred place)
• कुब्जाम्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुब्जाम्र (प्रातिपदिक: कुब्ज + आम्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः (कुब्जः आम्रः/कुब्ज-आम्रः) तीर्थ-नाम

• कोकामुखम्: Kokāmukha (sacred place)
• कोकामुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोकामुख (प्रातिपदिक: कोका + मुख)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (कोकायाः मुखम्/कोका-नामकस्य मुखम्) तीर्थ-नाम

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed; excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक: अन् + उत्तम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (superlative sense: unsurpassed)

• प्रभासम्: Prabhāsa (sacred place)
• प्रभासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तीर्थ-नाम

• विजयेशानम्: Vijayeśāna (sacred place)
• विजयेशानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजयेशान (प्रातिपदिक: विजय + ईशान)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (विजयस्य ईशानः/विजय-ईशानः) तीर्थ-नाम

• गोकर्णम्: Gokarṇa (sacred place)
• गोकर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोकर्ण (प्रातिपदिक: गो + कर्ण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (गोः कर्णः/गो-कर्णः) तीर्थ-नाम

• भद्रकर्णकम्: Bhadrakarṇaka (sacred place)
• भद्रकर्णकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्रकर्णक (प्रातिपदिक: भद्र + कर्णक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः (भद्रः कर्णकः/भद्र-कर्णकः) तीर्थ-नाम

Speaker

Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed to confirm the dialogue pair, commonly Pulastya → Bhīṣma in Svarga-khaṇḍa tīrtha sections).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: कोकामुखमनुत्तमम् = कोकामुखम् + अनुत्तमम् (म् + अ → म-; संधि-लोपः/अनुस्वार-समायोगः)

FAQs

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

It functions as a catalog-style verse naming multiple tīrthas, indicating the Purāṇa’s role as a map of sacred geography by preserving well-known pilgrimage sites and regional holy spots.

How does this verse emphasize the path of Bhakti?

By foregrounding tīrthas such as Śālagrāma (widely associated with Viṣṇu worship) and other revered sites, the verse supports devotional practice through remembrance and pilgrimage to places tied to divine presence.

What is the ethical lesson from this dialogue?

The implied lesson is reverence for sacred spaces and disciplined religious life: honoring tīrthas (through pilgrimage, remembrance, or ritual purity) is presented as a meritorious practice that cultivates devotion and spiritual aspiration.