Shloka 17

Plakṣaprasravaṇa–Kārapacana tīrtha-varṇana and Nārada’s war briefing (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 53)

Devanagari script

नातः परतरं पुण्यं भूमे: स्थानं भविष्यति । इह तप्स्यन्ति ये केचित्तप: परमकं नरा:

Transliteration

nātaḥ parataraṁ puṇyaṁ bhūmeḥ sthānaṁ bhaviṣyati | iha tapsyanti ye kecit tapaḥ paramakaṁ narāḥ ||

Translation

Rāma said: “There will be no holier place on earth than this. Here, whatever men undertake austerities will practice the highest form of tapas.”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अतः: than this; from here
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः

• परतरम्: higher; more excellent
• परतरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परतर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• पुण्यम्: merit; holy (thing)
• पुण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• भूमेः: of the earth
• भूमेः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• स्थानम्: place; abode
• स्थानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• भविष्यति: will be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• तपस्यन्ति: perform austerity; practice penance
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप्
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd, Plural

• ये: who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• केचित्: some (persons)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क + चित् (केचित्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तपः: austerity; penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परमकम्: supreme; highest
• परमकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नराः: men; people
• नराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• bhūmi (earth)
• sthāna (this sacred place/site)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates the ethical-spiritual value of a particular site by declaring it unsurpassed in merit: a place becomes supremely holy because it supports and sanctifies tapas, and those who practice disciplined austerity there attain the highest form of spiritual effort.

What is happening in the narrative?

Rāma is speaking in praise of a specific location, proclaiming it the most meritorious place on earth and asserting that ascetics or disciplined persons who undertake austerities there will be engaged in the highest tapas—thereby marking the site as exceptionally sacred.