Shloka 36

The Greatness of Avimukta (Kāśī/Vārāṇasī) and the Doctrine of Liberation-in-One-Life

Devanagari script

वाराणस्यां विशेषेण गंगा त्रिपथगामिनी । प्रविष्टा नाशयेत्पापं जन्मांतरशतैः कृतम्

Transliteration

vārāṇasyāṃ viśeṣeṇa gaṃgā tripathagāminī | praviṣṭā nāśayetpāpaṃ janmāṃtaraśataiḥ kṛtam

Translation

とりわけヴァーラーナシーにおいて、三界を流れるガンガーは、その聖なる水に入る者の、幾百の生にわたり積んだ罪を滅する。

Word by Word

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• विशेषेण: especially; in particular
• विशेषेण: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणम् (instrumental used adverbially); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• गङ्गा: the Gaṅgā (river)
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्रिपथगामिनी: flowing in the three realms (heaven/earth/netherworld)
• त्रिपथगामिनी: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिपथगामिनी (प्रातिपदिक: त्रि + पथ + गामिनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (त्रयः पथाः यस्याः सा—‘going in three paths’)

• प्रविष्टा: having entered
• प्रविष्टा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु) → प्रविष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (Past Passive Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययः; ‘having entered’ (contextual)

• नाशयेत्: would destroy; should remove
• नाशयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्/नाशय् (धातु: नश् causative नाशयति)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-रूपसदृशः: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); causative sense (णिच्)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• जन्मान्तरशतैः: by hundreds of other births
• जन्मान्तरशतैः: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मान्तरशत (प्रातिपदिक: जन्म + अन्तर + शत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुषः (जन्मान्तराणां शतैः = by hundreds of other births)

• कृतम्: done; committed
• कृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); पापम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within Svarga-khaṇḍa context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: river

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: नाशयेत्पापं = नाशयेत् + पापम् (त् + प → त्प्). जन्मांतरशतैः = जन्मान्तरशतैः (आ + अ → आ; anusvāra in some editions).

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Varanasi

FAQs

What does this verse teach about the spiritual status of Vārāṇasī as a tīrtha?

It elevates Vārāṇasī as a uniquely potent sacred geography where Gaṅgā-contact (entering/immersing) is said to yield exceptional purification, framing the city as a peak tīrtha for pāpa-kṣaya.

What does “tripathagāminī” mean in the context of the Gaṅgā?

It means “she who moves along three paths/worlds,” a Purāṇic epithet indicating Gaṅgā’s cosmic reach—associated with heavenly, earthly, and nether realms—thereby amplifying her sanctifying power.

What ethical or practical lesson is implied for devotees?

The verse encourages repentance and purification through sacred practice—especially bathing/entering Gaṅgā in Vārāṇasī—while implying that accumulated wrongdoing can be addressed through sincere engagement with dharmic tīrtha-observances.