Shloka 5

Narmadā

Revā) Tīrtha Greatness: The Gandharva Maidens’ Curse Narrative (Acchodā Episode Begins

Devanagari script

नर्मदातीर्थमाहात्म्यं चमत्कारकरं भवेत् । श्रवणादपि पापानां मलनाशनमुच्यते

Transliteration

narmadātīrthamāhātmyaṃ camatkārakaraṃ bhavet | śravaṇādapi pāpānāṃ malanāśanamucyate

Translation

Keagungan tirtha-tirtha suci di Narmadā sungguh menakjubkan; dikatakan bahwa bahkan hanya dengan mendengarnya saja noda dosa pun lenyap.

Word by Word

• narmadā-tīrtha-māhātmyam: the greatness of the Narmadā-tīrtha
• narmadā-tīrtha-māhātmyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: narmadā (प्रातिपदिक) + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक) + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास

• camatkāra-karam: wonder-producing
• camatkāra-karam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: camatkāra (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (चमत्कारं करोति)

• bhavet: would be / is said to be
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• śravaṇāt: from hearing
• śravaṇāt: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन

• api: even
• api: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-निपात (particle: even/also)

• pāpānām: of sins
• pāpānām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• mala-nāśanam: removal of impurity
• mala-nāśanam: Karma/Predicate (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mala (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास

• ucyate: is said
• ucyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within the Narmadā-tīrtha-māhātmya section; commonly framed as Pulastya speaking to Bhīṣma in Svarga-khaṇḍa contexts)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: narmadātīrthamāhātmyaṃ = narmadā-tīrtha-māhātmyam; śravaṇādapi = śravaṇāt + api; malanāśanamucyate = mala-nāśanam + ucyate

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What spiritual practice is emphasized in this verse?

Śravaṇa (devotional listening). The verse states that even hearing the Narmadā-tīrtha-māhātmya removes the ‘mala’ (stain) of sins.

What does ‘tīrtha-māhātmya’ mean here?

It refers to a text or section that praises and explains the sanctity and merit of a sacred place—here, the pilgrimage fords associated with the river Narmadā.

What is the ethical lesson conveyed?

Purification begins with attentive receptivity to dharma: sincerely listening to sacred teachings is presented as a transformative act that reduces moral and spiritual impurity.