Shloka 3

Kāmodākhyāna

Glory of the Kāmodā Sacred Place

Devanagari script

कामोदाख्यं पुरं देवि गंगातीरे व्यवस्थितम् । कामोदा यत्र वर्तंते सार्द्धं देवैर्हरिप्रियाः ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

kāmodākhyaṃ puraṃ devi gaṃgātīre vyavasthitam | kāmodā yatra vartaṃte sārddhaṃ devairharipriyāḥ || 3 ||

Translation

Oh Diosa, hay una ciudad llamada Kāmodā, situada en la ribera del Gaṅgā. Allí moran los Kāmodās, amados de Hari, juntamente con los dioses.

Word by Word

• कामोदा-आख्यम्: named Kāmodā
• कामोदा-आख्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामोदा (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नामधारक: ‘कामोदा-आख्य’ = ‘called Kāmodā’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of ‘पुरम्’

• पुरम्: city
• पुरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवि: O lady
• देवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• गङ्गा-तीरे: on the bank of the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा-तीरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘गङ्गायाः तीरम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• व्यवस्थितम्: situated, established
• व्यवस्थितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘पुरम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कामोदाः: the Kāmodās (women/attendants named Kāmodā)
• कामोदाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामोदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Relative location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक सम्बन्ध (relative adverb: ‘where’)

• वर्तन्ते: live, dwell, exist
• वर्तन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahārtha (सहार्थ/Association marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (comitative adverb: ‘together with’)

• देवैः: with the gods
• देवैः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/Association-Instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• हरि-प्रियाः: dear to Hari (Vishnu)
• हरि-प्रियाः: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृ-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘हरेः प्रियाः’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण of ‘कामोदाः’

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Hari (Vishnu)
• Devas

FAQs

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

It establishes Kāmodā as a Gaṅgā-side tīrtha where devotion to Hari is dominant, indicated by the residents being described as “Haripriyāḥ” and dwelling in divine company.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Bhakti is highlighted indirectly: the hallmark of the place is love for Hari (Viṣṇu), suggesting that proximity to sacred tīrthas and association with the godly reinforces Vaiṣṇava devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is tīrtha-oriented dharma—pilgrimage and holy association on the Gaṅgā’s banks.