Shloka 6

Prabhāsa-kṣetra: Circuit of Tīrthas and Shrines Leading to Bhukti and Mokṣa

Devanagari script

गोचर्ममात्रं तन्मध्ये तीर्थं कैलासतोऽधिकम् । अर्कस्थलं तत्र पुण्यं तीर्थमन्यत्सुशोभनम् ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

gocarmamātraṃ tanmadhye tīrthaṃ kailāsato'dhikam | arkasthalaṃ tatra puṇyaṃ tīrthamanyatsuśobhanam || 6 ||

Translation

En son milieu se trouve un tīrtha grand comme une peau de vache, et pourtant tenu pour supérieur même au Kailāsa. Là, à Arkasthala, resplendit un tīrtha d’un mérite suprême, d’une beauté incomparable parmi les lieux saints.

Word by Word

• go-carma-mātram: (of) cowhide measure; as large as a cowhide
• go-carma-mātram: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + carma (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (measure: 'only as much as a cowhide')

• tat: that/its
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी (Gen.)/प्रथमा (Nom.) एकवचन; here used as first member in compound (tad-)

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• tīrtham: a sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• tīrtham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• kailāsataḥ: than Kailāsa
• kailāsataḥ: Apadana (अपादान/Source-comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kailāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• adhikam: greater/superior
• adhikam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate adjective of tīrtham)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तुलनाबोधक (comparative sense)

• arka-sthalam: Arkasthala (a sacred place)
• arka-sthalam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arka (प्रातिपदिक) + sthala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष ('place of Arka/Sun' or 'Arka-plant place')

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• puṇyam: holy/meritorious
• puṇyam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• tīrtham: a sacred place
• tīrtham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• anyat: another
• anyat: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of tīrtham)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• su-śobhanam: very beautiful
• su-śobhanam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of tīrtham)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय-उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + śobhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय ('very beautiful')

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Kailasa
• Arkasthala

FAQs

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

It teaches that a tīrtha’s spiritual potency is not measured by physical size—this tiny, cowhide-sized spot is praised as surpassing even Kailāsa in sanctity and merit.

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

By glorifying a specific holy place, the verse encourages faith-filled pilgrimage and reverence (śraddhā) toward sacred sites—an outer expression that supports inner devotion and remembrance of the divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Kalpa (ritual application): it implies the practical discipline of tīrtha-yātrā—knowing where to go and honoring prescribed sacred locations for accruing puṇya.