Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 18

Purukutsa’s Rasātala Victory; Triśaṅku and Hariścandra; Rohita and Śunaḥśepha

Devanagari script

भूमे: पर्यटनं पुण्यं तीर्थक्षेत्रनिषेवणै: । रोहितायादिशच्छक्र: सोऽप्यरण्येऽवसत् समाम् ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

bhūmeḥ paryaṭanaṁ puṇyaṁ tīrtha-kṣetra-niṣevaṇaiḥ rohitāyādiśac chakraḥ so ’py araṇye ’vasat samām

Translation

Indra, appelé Śakra, conseilla à Rohita que parcourir la terre en fréquentant les tīrthas et lieux saints est hautement méritoire. Suivant cet ordre, Rohita demeura dans la forêt pendant un an.

Synonyms

• भूमेः: of the earth
• भूमेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) एकवचन

• पर्यटनम्: wandering
• पर्यटनम्: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि-√अट् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भाववाचक (ल्युट्/अन-प्रत्यय); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• पुण्यम्: meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पर्यटनम्)

• तीर्थ-क्षेत्र-निषेवणैः: by resorting to sacred fords and holy places
• तीर्थ-क्षेत्र-निषेवणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + निषेवण (कृदन्त-भाव; नि-√सेव्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व (तीर्थं च क्षेत्रं च) + तत्पुरुष (तीर्थक्षेत्रयोः निषेवणम्); करणम्

• रोहिताय: to Rohita
• रोहिताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) एकवचन

• आदिशत्: instructed
• आदिशत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√दिश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• अरण्ये: in the forest
• अरण्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (अधिकरण) एकवचन

• अवसत्: dwelt
• अवसत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• समाम्: for a year
• समाम्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण/अवधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; कालावधि (accusative of duration)

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śakra)
• Rohita

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the benefit of visiting holy places (tīrtha-yātrā)?

This verse says travel becomes truly pious when it involves resorting to and serving tīrthas and sacred kṣetras—pilgrimage is sanctifying when approached as devotional, reverential practice.

Why did Indra (Śakra) instruct Rohita to wander and live in the forest?

Within the Rohita narrative, Indra guides Rohita away from returning home, directing him toward forest-dwelling and pilgrimage-associated wandering, which prolongs his stay and shapes the unfolding dharmic trial in the story.

How can I apply this teaching about pilgrimage in modern life?

Make spiritual travel purposeful: visit sacred places with service, humility, and sādhana (hearing, chanting, prayer), rather than treating it as ordinary tourism—then the journey becomes spiritually fruitful.