Shloka 17

ब्राह्मणीमरणवर्णनम् (Account of the Brahmin Woman’s Death) — within Nandikeśvara-māhātmya

Devanagari script

रेवायाः पश्चिमे तीरे कर्णिकी नाम वै पुरी । विराजते सुशोभाढ्या चतुर्वर्णसमाकुला

Transliteration

revāyāḥ paścime tīre karṇikī nāma vai purī | virājate suśobhāḍhyā caturvarṇasamākulā

Translation

On the western bank of the Revā River stands a city named Karṇikī, resplendent with great beauty and filled with people of all four varṇas.

Word by Word

• रेवायाः: of Revā (Narmadā)
• रेवायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पश्चिमे: on the western
• पश्चिमे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘tīre’)

• तीरे: bank/shore
• तीरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• कर्णिकी: Karṇikī
• कर्णिकी: Karta (कर्ता) (as apposition to ‘purī’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नगरनाम (proper noun)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/label)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक (particle meaning ‘named/called’)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक (indeed)

• पुरी: city
• पुरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विराजते: shines/is splendid
• विराजते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज् (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सु-शोभा-आढ्या: endowed with great beauty
• सु-शोभा-आढ्या: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + शोभा (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ: ‘rich in good beauty’ (सु-शोभा + आढ्या)

• चतुर्-वर्ण-समाकुला: crowded with the four social classes
• चतुर्-वर्ण-समाकुला: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (dvigu-like first member ‘catur’ as numeral qualifier): ‘filled with four varṇas’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara

Sthala Purana: The verse situates the narrative on the Revā (Narmadā). In Purāṇic geography, Oṃkāreśvara is the famed liṅga-tīrtha on the Narmadā; the broader Koṭirudra cycle often anchors merit and liberation to Revā-snāna and Śiva worship in this region.

Significance: Revā-tīra kṣetra: bathing in Narmadā and worship of Śiva is extolled as highly purifying and conducive to Śiva’s grace; the setting prepares for a dharma/karma episode culminating in Śaiva merit.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Reva (Narmada)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It establishes the sacred setting (kshetra) on the Revā/Narmadā’s western bank, indicating a spiritually charged pilgrimage landscape where devotion to Shiva is traditionally cultivated among all sections of society.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

In the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā, such place-descriptions typically introduce a Shaiva tīrtha connected to Linga worship; the verse frames Karṇikī as a worthy kshetra for approaching Saguna Shiva through temple and pilgrimage practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is tīrtha-yātrā with Shiva-bhakti: bathe in the Revā, visit the local Shiva shrine/linga, and recite the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a mind set on purity and surrender.