Shloka 2

The Determination of the Extent of the Sacred Field and Related Matters

Kurukṣetra Māhātmya

Devanagari script

यत्सर्वतीर्थमुख्येषु कुरुक्षेत्रं शुभावहम् । पावनं सर्वलोकानां तन्ममाचक्ष्व सांप्रतम् ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

yatsarvatīrthamukhyeṣu kurukṣetraṃ śubhāvaham | pāvanaṃ sarvalokānāṃ tanmamācakṣva sāṃpratam || 2 ||

Translation

Parmi les tīrtha les plus éminents, Kurukṣetra est dit le plus propice et le purificateur de tous les mondes—parle-m’en à présent.

Word by Word

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

• सर्वतीर्थमुख्येषु: among all the chief tīrthas
• सर्वतीर्थमुख्येषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-तीर्थ-मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; अधिकरणे (among/in)

• कुरुक्षेत्रम्: Kurukṣetra
• कुरुक्षेत्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुक्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शुभावहम्: bringing auspiciousness
• शुभावहम्: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ-आवह (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (शुभं आवहति)

• पावनम्: purifying
• पावनम्: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वलोकानाम्: of all worlds/people
• सर्वलोकानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-लोक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्वे लोकाः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; यत्-सम्बन्धि (correlative)

• मम: to me / for me
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• आचक्ष्व: tell, describe
• आचक्ष्व: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सांप्रतम्: now, at present
• सांप्रतम्: Kāla (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सांप्रतम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-नपुंसक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Kurukshetra
• Tirtha

FAQs

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

It elevates Kurukṣetra as foremost among tīrthas, emphasizing its power to confer auspiciousness and to purify beings across all realms—setting up the chapter’s Kurukṣetra-māhātmya.

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

While not naming a deity here, the verse frames tīrtha as a means of inner purification; in the Narada Purana’s devotional worldview, such purification supports steadiness in bhakti and sacred practices performed at holy sites.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse primarily reflects tīrtha-dharma (pilgrimage discipline) rather than a specific Vedāṅga; practically, it points to the śāstric principle of choosing a ‘mukhya tīrtha’ for rites like snāna, dāna, and japa to maximize religious merit.