Shloka 18

Tīrtha-Māhātmya: Catalog of Sacred Places and the Supreme Inner Tīrtha

Devanagari script

गोदावरी महातीर्थं पयोष्णी वरदा नदी / विन्ध्यः पापहरं तीर्थं नर्मदाभेद उत्तमः

Transliteration

godāvarī mahātīrthaṃ payoṣṇī varadā nadī / vindhyaḥ pāpaharaṃ tīrthaṃ narmadābheda uttamaḥ

Translation

La Godāvarī est un grand mahā-tīrtha; la Payoṣṇī est un fleuve qui accorde des grâces. La région des Vindhya est un lieu de pèlerinage qui détruit le péché, et la sainte confluence avec la Narmadā est d’une excellence suprême.

Word by Word

• गोदावरी: Godāvarī (river)
• गोदावरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोदावरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• महातीर्थम्: a great tīrtha
• महातीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय

• पयोष्णी: Payoṣṇī (river)
• पयोष्णी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयोष्णी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• वरदा: boon-giving
• वरदा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying नदी)

• नदी: river
• नदी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• विन्ध्यः: Vindhya (mountain range)
• विन्ध्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विन्ध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• पापहरम्: sin-removing
• पापहरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—पापं हरति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय) विशेषणम् (qualifying तीर्थम्)

• तीर्थम्: tīrtha
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• नर्मदाभेदः: Narmadā-bheda (a sacred spot/cleft of Narmadā)
• नर्मदाभेदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः—नर्मदायाः भेदः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• उत्तमः: excellent/supreme
• उत्तमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying नर्मदाभेदः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pāpa-kṣaya through tīrtha-snāna and saṅgama-sevā, supporting auspicious karmic outcomes.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-śuddhi as preparation for higher knowledge; sacred waters as symbols of inner cleansing.

Application: Perform mindful snāna, japa, and dāna at rivers/saṅgamas; pair pilgrimage with ethical restraint so ‘pāpa-hara’ becomes lived transformation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: rivers; mountain-range/region; confluence-tīrtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.81 (tīrtha list)

Characters & Entities

• Godavari
• Payoshni
• Vindhya
• Narmada

FAQs

What is the importance of sacred rivers and tīrthas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse lists specific rivers and regions as mahātīrthas and pāpahara tīrthas, indicating that pilgrimage and contact with such waters/places are upheld as powerful means of purification and merit within dharma.

How does this verse relate to purification and karmic cleansing?

By calling the Vindhya a pāpahara tīrtha and praising Godāvarī and Narmadā-related sanctity, the text frames tīrtha-yātrā as a dharmic practice that helps reduce the burden of sin (pāpa) and supports spiritual upliftment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach pilgrimages as disciplined spiritual practice—bathe or offer prayers with sincerity, maintain ethical conduct, and treat rivers and sacred sites with reverence and ecological responsibility.