Shloka 43

The Account of the Fruits of Bathing at Particular Sacred Places

Tīrtha-viśeṣa-snāna-phala

Devanagari script

समभ्यर्च्य शिवं ध्यायन्गणतां तु समाययौ । चंपकाख्यं पुण्यतीर्थं यद्गंगोत्तरवाहिनी ॥ ४३ ॥

Transliteration

samabhyarcya śivaṃ dhyāyangaṇatāṃ tu samāyayau | caṃpakākhyaṃ puṇyatīrthaṃ yadgaṃgottaravāhinī || 43 ||

Translation

Après avoir dûment adoré Śiva et médité sur Lui, il obtint le rang d’un Gaṇa, serviteur de Śiva. Puis il parvint au tīrtha sacré nommé Campaka, où le Gaṅgā s’écoule vers le nord.

Word by Word

• सम्-अभ्यर्च्य: having duly worshipped
• सम्-अभ्यर्च्य: पूर्वकाल (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) + सम्/अभि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावेन; धातु: अर्च् (to worship) with उपसर्ग सम्+अभि

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• ध्यायन्: meditating
• ध्यायन्: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• गणताम्: the status of a gaṇa (attendant)
• गणताम्: कर्म (Karma/Goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘गणत्व’/‘गणता’ = state of being among the gaṇas

• तु: indeed/and then
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थे ‘but/indeed’

• समाययौ: he reached/arrived
• समाययौ: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; धातु: या (to go) with उपसर्ग सम्+आ

• चम्पक-आख्यम्: named ‘Campaka’
• चम्पक-आख्यम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चम्पक (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नाम-आख्य = ‘named as’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तीर्थम् इति विशेषण

• पुण्य-तीर्थम्: a holy pilgrimage-place
• पुण्य-तीर्थम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘reached’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Relative connector)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• गङ्गा-उत्तर-वाहिनी: the Gaṅgā that flows northward
• गङ्गा-उत्तर-वाहिनी: कर्ता/विशेष्य (Predicate noun for ‘which is…’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘गङ्गा’ इति नदी, ‘उत्तरवाहिनी’ = north-flowing

Speaker

Narada (narrating within the Tirtha-Mahatmya of Uttara-Bhaga; traditional dialogue frame with Sanatkumara lineage implied)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Gana
• Campaka Tirtha
• Ganga

FAQs

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

It links worship (arcana) and meditation (dhyāna) on Śiva with spiritual elevation (attaining gaṇatā), and then situates the narrative in a highly meritorious tīrtha—Campaka—marked by the auspicious north-flowing Gaṅgā.

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

Bhakti here is shown as disciplined reverence—formal worship of Śiva coupled with sustained contemplation—yielding both inner transformation (spiritual proximity to Śiva, expressed as gaṇatā) and outer pilgrimage to a sanctifying tīrtha.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual practice is implied through proper arcana (procedural worship aligned with Kalpa/ritual discipline), and sacred geography is emphasized through the tīrtha marker of a north-flowing Gaṅgā, a traditional sign used in tīrtha-identification and pilgrimage observance.