Shloka 13

Adhyāya 325: Nārada in Śvetadvīpa—Stotra to the Nirguṇa Mahātman

Devanagari script

सगिरीक्षाप्यतिक्रम्य नदीतीर्थसरांसि च । बहुव्यालमृगाकीर्णा हाटवीश्व वनानि च

Transliteration

sa-girīkṣāpy atikramya nadī-tīrtha-sarāṁsi ca | bahu-vyāla-mṛgākīrṇā hāṭavīś ca vanāni ca ||

Translation

Bhishma said: Having crossed over mountain ranges and rugged passes, and also rivers, sacred fords, and lakes, they proceeded through many forests—thick with serpents and wild beasts. Overcoming all these obstacles in due course, they traversed the regions of Meru (Ilāvṛta), Hari-varṣa, and the snowy Haimavata (Kimpuruṣa) tract, and finally arrived in Bhārata-varṣa.

Word by Word

• स: he/that (one)
• स: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गिरीन्: mountains
• गिरीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• क्षापि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षापि

• अतिक्रम्य: having crossed/overstepped
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-क्रम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral in gerund)

• नदी: rivers
• नदी: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• तीर्थ: ford(s), sacred crossing-place(s)
• तीर्थ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• सरांसि: lakes, ponds
• सरांसि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• बहु: many, much
• बहु: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• व्याल: serpents, fierce creatures
• व्याल: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• मृग: wild animals, deer
• मृग: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• आकीर्णा: filled, crowded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-कीर्ण
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• अटवीः: forests, wild tracts
• अटवीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अटवी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वनानि: woods, forests
• वनानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• mountains (giri)
• rivers (nadī)
• tīrthas (sacred fords)
• lakes (saras)
• serpents/dangerous creatures (vyāla)
• wild animals (mṛga)
• forests (hāṭavī, vana)
• Meru
• Ilāvṛta-varṣa
• Hari-varṣa
• Haimavata-varṣa
• Kimpuruṣa-varṣa
• Bhārata-varṣa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness and disciplined perseverance: even when the path is filled with natural dangers and hardships, one who is committed to a higher purpose (dharma, pilgrimage, or duty) proceeds step by step, crossing obstacles without yielding to fear or fatigue.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a long, arduous journey: the travelers cross mountains, rivers, sacred fords, and lakes, pass through forests crowded with serpents and wild animals, and then move through the mythic regions associated with Meru—Ilavrita, Hari-varsha, and the snowy Haimavata/Kimpurusha tract—before reaching Bharata-varsha.