Vamana Purana — Glory of Prithudaka Tirtha, Shloka 2

The Glory of Prithudaka Tirtha and the Akshaya Tithi at Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

यदा मृगशिरोऋक्षे शशिसूर्यौ बृहस्पतिः तिष्ठन्ति सा तिथिः पुण्या त्वक्षया परिगीयते

Transliteration

yadā mṛgaśiroṛkṣe śaśisūryau bṛhaspatiḥ tiṣṭhanti sā tithiḥ puṇyā tvakṣayā parigīyate

Translation

„Wenn Mond und Sonne zusammen mit Jupiter (Bṛhaspati) im Mondhaus Mṛgaśiras stehen, dann ist dieser tithi heilig; er wird als ‚Akṣayā‘ gepriesen, der unvergängliches Verdienst verleiht.“

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: कालाधिकरण (temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative adverb: when)

• मृगशिरः-ऋक्षे: in the Mṛgaśiras nakṣatra
• मृगशिरः-ऋक्षे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मृगशिरः नाम ऋक्षे = in the asterism called Mṛgaśiras)

• शशिसूर्यौ: the moon and the sun
• शशिसूर्यौ: कर्ता (co-subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशि (प्रातिपदिक) + सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व

• बृहस्पतिः: Jupiter (Bṛhaspati)
• बृहस्पतिः: कर्ता (co-subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तिष्ठन्ति: stand/are situated
• तिष्ठन्ति: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सा: that
• सा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तिथिः: lunar day (tithi)
• तिथिः: कर्ता (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुण्या: holy
• पुण्या: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (तिथिः)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• अक्षया: imperishable
• अक्षया: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (सा तिथिः)

• परिगीयते: is celebrated
• परिगीयते: क्रिया (passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + गै (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive: is sung/celebrated)

Speakers

• Continuing Devadeva’s instruction (implied by immediate sequence)

Primary Deities

• Devadeva (implied instructor)
• Grahas/Nakṣatra deities (Sun, Moon, Bṛhaspati as sacred time-markers)

Key Themes

• Vrata/ritual timing
• Jyotiṣa (astral markers) in dharma
• Akṣaya-puṇya (imperishable merit)
• Tithi sanctity

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse teaches that dharma is enacted through right action at the right time: aligning one’s vrata, dāna, or tīrtha-visit with auspicious kāla is said to stabilize merit (‘akṣaya’). Ethically, it encourages intentionality and disciplined observance rather than random piety.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It is ancillary dharma material (vrata-kāla-nirṇaya) rather than the five primary marks. Still, it supports Purāṇic function as a dharma-text by specifying calendrical conditions for heightened religious efficacy.

What is the symbolic significance?

Placing Sun, Moon, and Jupiter together in a named nakṣatra sacralizes time itself: not only places are tīrthas—moments can be tīrthas. ‘Akṣayā’ symbolizes continuity: merit becomes ‘non-decaying’ when action harmonizes with cosmic rhythm.