Vamana Purana — Kurukshetra & Prithudaka Tirtha, Shloka 24

Kurukshetra, Pṛthūdaka Tīrtha, and the Marriage of Saṃvaraṇa with Tapatī

Devanagari script

केयं प्रोक्ता महापुण्या तिथीनामुत्तमा तिथिः यस्यां हि पितरो दिव्याः पूज्यास्माभिः प्रयन्ततः

Transliteration

keyaṃ proktā mahāpuṇyā tithīnāmuttamā tithiḥ yasyāṃ hi pitaro divyāḥ pūjyāsmābhiḥ prayantataḥ

Translation

„Welcher Tithi ist als höchst verdienstvoll verkündet, der beste unter den Tithis—an dem wahrlich die göttlichen Pitṛs von uns zu verehren sind, wenn sie aufbrechen (oder weiterziehen)?“

Word by Word

• का: which (f.)
• का: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• इयम्: this (f.)
• इयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक सर्वनाम

• प्रोक्ता: said/declared
• प्रोक्ता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• महापुण्या: very holy
• महापुण्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तिथीनाम्: of the tithis (lunar days)
• तिथीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (among/of tithis)

• उत्तमा: the best
• उत्तमा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (superlative)

• तिथिः: tithi (lunar day)
• तिथिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता/विषय (topic)

• यस्याम्: in which
• यस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध/अधिकरण (relative locative: in which)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• पितरः: the Pitṛs (ancestors)
• पितरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्ता

• दिव्याः: divine
• दिव्याः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• पूज्याः: worthy of worship
• पूज्याः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-योग्य)
• Form: भाव्य/अर्हार्थक विशेषण (gerundive-like), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘to be worshipped’

• अस्माभिः: by us
• अस्माभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण/कर्ता (by us)

• प्रयन्ततः: they go/approach
• प्रयन्ततः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; (पाठानुसार) ‘they go/approach’

Speakers

• Devas (inquiring) → Bhagavān (to answer in subsequent narration)

Primary Deities

• Pitrs (divine ancestors)
• Vishnu (as the authoritative explainer, contextually)

Key Themes

• Vrata/Ritual calendrics (Tithi)
• Pitṛ-pūjā / ancestral rites
• Merit (puṇya) and sacred timing
• Purāṇic ritual instruction

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse emphasizes ṛṇa-traya awareness—especially pitṛ-ṛṇa (debt to ancestors). Dharma is sustained not only by personal devotion but by gratitude expressed through prescribed rites and proper timing.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is an applied-dharma (ācāra) segment commonly embedded in Purāṇas: while not itself one of the five marks, it is typically attached to Manvantara/Vamśa narrative layers as instruction for maintaining cosmic and social order through ritual.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Best tithi’ symbolizes auspicious alignment: time (kāla) is treated as sacred structure. Pitṛ worship on an appointed lunar day expresses continuity between visible lineage and the unseen order upheld by dharma.