Shloka 17

Description of the Origin of the Cosmic Egg (Brahmāṇḍa) and the Ocean as King of Tīrthas

Devanagari script

पुष्करादीनि तीर्थानि प्रयच्छंति स्वकं फलम् । तीर्थराजः समुद्रस्तु सर्वतीर्थफलप्रदः ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

puṣkarādīni tīrthāni prayacchaṃti svakaṃ phalam | tīrtharājaḥ samudrastu sarvatīrthaphalapradaḥ || 17 ||

Translation

પુષ્કર આદિ તીર્થો પોતપોતાનું ફળ આપે છે; પરંતુ તીર્થરાજ સમુદ્ર સર્વ તીર્થફળ આપનાર છે.

Word by Word

• पुष्करादीनि: (those) beginning with Puṣkara
• पुष्करादीनि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्कर + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; ‘पुष्कर-आदि’ इति समासान्त विशेषणम् (ending in -ādi, ‘beginning with Puṣkara’)

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• प्रयच्छन्ति: bestow / give
• प्रयच्छन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• स्वकम्: their own
• स्वकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘फलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तीर्थराजः: king of pilgrimage places
• तीर्थराजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘तीर्थाणां राजा’)

• समुद्रः: the ocean
• समुद्रः: Apposition/Viśeṣya (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे ‘but/indeed’

• सर्वतीर्थफलप्रदः: giver of the fruits of all tīrthas
• सर्वतीर्थफलप्रदः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + तीर्थ + फल + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (‘सर्वेषां तीर्थाणां फलप्रदः’)

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Pushkara
• Samudra (Ocean)

FAQs

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

It ranks tīrthas by their scope of merit: each holy place yields its particular punya, while the ocean is praised as a universal tīrtha that confers the combined fruits of all pilgrimage sites.

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

By elevating the ocean as a supreme tīrtha, the verse points to concentrated sacred practice—such as reverent bathing and remembrance—performed with devotion, implying that sincere bhakti can make one act spiritually comprehensive in result.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa-oriented ritual thinking: tīrtha-snāna and pilgrimage are framed in terms of specific and aggregate ritual fruits (phala), guiding practitioners on how sacred acts are categorized and valued.