Shloka 52

Devanagari script

क्रौंचरूपेण हि मुनिर्मुंडपृष्ठे तपोऽकरोत् । तस्य पादांकको यस्मात्क्रौंचपादः स्मृतस्ततः ॥ ५२ ॥

Transliteration

krauṃcarūpeṇa hi munirmuṃḍapṛṣṭhe tapo'karot | tasya pādāṃkako yasmātkrauṃcapādaḥ smṛtastataḥ || 52 ||

Translation

Le sage, prenant la forme d’un oiseau krauñca, accomplit des austérités sur Muṇḍa-pṛṣṭha. Comme l’empreinte de son pied (pādāṅkaka) s’y trouve, ce lieu fut dès lors rappelé sous le nom de « Krauñca-pāda ».

Word by Word

• क्रौञ्च-रूपेण: in the form of a krauñca (bird)
• क्रौञ्च-रूपेण: करण/प्रकार (Karaṇa/Mode)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) — ‘क्रौञ्चस्य रूपम्’ (in the form of a krauñca bird)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/हेत्वर्थक-निपात (indeed/for)

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मुण्ड-पृष्ठे: at Muṇḍapṛṣṭha
• मुण्ड-पृष्ठे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः — ‘मुण्डस्य पृष्ठे’/‘मुण्डपृष्ठे’ (at Muṇḍapṛṣṭha)

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अकरोत्: performed/did
• अकरोत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past/लङ्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• पाद-अङ्ककः: the footprint-mark
• पाद-अङ्ककः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः — ‘पादस्य अङ्ककः’ (mark/imprint of a foot)

• यस्मात्: because of which/from which
• यस्मात्: अपादान/हेतु (Apādāna/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (from which/because of which)

• क्रौञ्च-पादः: (named) Krauñcapāda
• क्रौञ्च-पादः: क्रियाविशेष्य (Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः — ‘क्रौञ्चस्य पादः’ (krauñca-foot/footprint)

• स्मृतः: is known/called
• स्मृतः: क्रियाविशेष्य (Predicate/State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is called/remembered’

• ततः: therefore/thereupon
• ततः: हेतु/सम्बन्ध (Reason/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/अनन्तरार्थक (therefore/thereupon/from that)

Speaker

Suta (narrating a tirtha-mahatmya account in Uttara-Bhaga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Muni
• Krauñca
• Muṇḍa-pṛṣṭha
• Krauñca-pāda

FAQs

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

It teaches that a tirtha’s sanctity can arise from a sage’s tapas, and that even a physical trace like a footprint becomes a lasting sacred marker that preserves spiritual memory (smṛti) and inspires pilgrimage.

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

By highlighting reverence for tapas-sthalas and sacred signs, it supports bhakti as respectful remembrance and worshipful approach to holy places—honoring the saintly presence that makes a site worthy of devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Nirukta/etymological tradition and anukramaṇikā-style place-identification are implied: the verse explains a tirtha-name (Krauñca-pāda) through a defining mark (pādāṅka), a common Purāṇic method of sacred geography.