Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 97

Narmadā–Tīrtha-Māhātmya: Sequence of Sacred Fords and Their Fruits

Devanagari script

तस्य वै पश्चिमे देशे समीपे नातिदूरतः / दशाश्वमेधिकं तीर्थं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्

Transliteration

tasya vai paścime deśe samīpe nātidūrataḥ / daśāśvamedhikaṃ tīrthaṃ triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam

Translation

તેના પશ્ચિમ પ્રદેશમાં, નજીકમાં અને બહુ દૂર નહીં, ‘દશાશ્વમેધિક’ નામનું તીર્થ છે, જે ત્રિલોકમાં પ્રસિદ્ધ છે.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/its
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सम्भव (pronoun form)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphatic)

• पश्चिमे: in the western
• पश्चिमे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• देशे: region
• देशे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• समीपे: near
• समीपे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अतिदूरतः: from too far; too far away
• अतिदूरतः: अधिकरण (adverbial of place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतिदूर (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्-प्रत्यय, ablatival adverb)
• Form: तसिलन्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb), ‘from too far’ → with न = ‘not too far (away)’

• दशाश्वमेधिकम्: (having) ten aśvamedha(-equivalent)
• दशाश्वमेधिकम्: विशेषण (modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अश्वमेधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numerical compound), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तीर्थम् इति विशेषण

• तीर्थम्: pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• त्रिषु: in the three
• त्रिषु: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-रूप (common numeral loc. pl.)

• लोकेषु: worlds
• लोकेषु: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• विश्रुतम्: well-known
• विश्रुतम्: विशेषण (modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + श्रु (धातु) → विश्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तीर्थम् इति विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s tirtha-mahatmya in a Purāṇic discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Daśāśvamedhika Tīrtha
• Tri-loka (three worlds)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

This verse is primarily geographic and devotional (tīrtha-māhātmya); it implies that sacred places function as supports for purification of mind (citta-śuddhi), which is a prerequisite for realizing the Atman, but it does not directly define the Atman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yogic technique is described; the practice implied is tīrtha-sevā—pilgrimage, bathing, and reverential conduct—which the Purāṇic tradition treats as an auxiliary discipline that prepares the aspirant for dhyāna and higher yoga.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

The verse itself does not mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; however, within the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, tīrthas are commonly presented as universally sanctifying—serving devotees across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths without sectarian exclusion.