Shloka 16

Narmadā Māhātmya with the Praise of Amarakantaka Tīrthas

Devanagari script

षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । अप्सरोगणसंकीर्णो दिव्यस्त्रीपरिवारितः

Transliteration

ṣaṣṭivarṣasahasrāṇi svargaloke mahīyate | apsarogaṇasaṃkīrṇo divyastrīparivāritaḥ

Translation

તે સાઠ હજાર વર્ષ સુધી સ્વર્ગલોકમાં મહિમાવંત થાય છે; અપ્સરાઓના ગણોથી ઘેરાયેલો અને દિવ્ય સ્ત્રીઓથી પરિચરિત રહે છે.

Word by Word

• ṣaṣṭi-varṣa-sahasrāṇi: for sixty thousand years
• ṣaṣṭi-varṣa-sahasrāṇi: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (pl.); संख्यापूर्वक-तत्पुरुष/समाहारार्थ: ‘षष्टिवर्षाणां सहस्राणि’ (thousands of sixty-year [periods])

• svarga-loke: in the heavenly world
• svarga-loke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुष: ‘स्वर्गस्य लोकः’

• mahīyate: is honored, is glorified
• mahīyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mah (धातु; मह् पूजायाम्)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (sg.), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (passive/medio-passive): ‘is honored/glorified’

• apsarā-gaṇa-saṃkīrṇaḥ: crowded with groups of apsarases
• apsarā-gaṇa-saṃkīrṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of implied subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apsaras (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkīrṇa (कृदन्त; √kṝ/√kṛ? here √kṝ/√kṛ not; standard saṃkīrṇa from √kṝ/√kṛ? actually √kṝ (कॄ) ‘to scatter’/√kṛ ‘to do’; lexical: saṃkīrṇa ‘mixed, crowded’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुष: ‘अप्सरोगणेन संकीर्णः’

• divya-strī-parivāritaḥ: surrounded by divine women
• divya-strī-parivāritaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of implied subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक) + strī (प्रातिपदिक) + parivārita (कृदन्त; √vṛ वृञ् वरणे with pari-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुष: ‘दिव्यस्त्रीभिः परिवारितः’

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (Svarga-khaṇḍa narrative voice)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: svargaloke → svarga-loke; apsarogaṇasaṃkīrṇo → apsarā-gaṇa-saṃkīrṇaḥ; divyastrīparivāritaḥ → divya-strī-parivāritaḥ.

Characters & Entities

• Apsarās
• Svarga (heaven)

FAQs

What does this verse describe as the fruit of merit in Svarga-loka?

It portrays a long heavenly reward—being honored in Svarga for sixty thousand years—along with celestial company such as hosts of Apsarās and divine attendants.

Why are Apsarās mentioned in descriptions of Svarga in Purāṇic literature?

Apsarās function as emblematic figures of heavenly splendor and enjoyment, commonly used to depict the refined pleasures and honors associated with Svarga.

What ethical lesson is implied by emphasizing a time-limited heavenly reward?

Even vast heavenly enjoyment is presented as finite, implying that merit yields results that can be exhausted—encouraging pursuit of higher, lasting spiritual aims beyond temporary reward.