Shloka 16

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

Devanagari script

तावद्गर्ज्जंति तीर्थानि माहात्म्यैः स्वैः पृथक् पृथक् । यावन्न तीर्थराजस्य माहात्म्यं वर्ण्यते द्विजैः ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

tāvadgarjjaṃti tīrthāni māhātmyaiḥ svaiḥ pṛthak pṛthak | yāvanna tīrtharājasya māhātmyaṃ varṇyate dvijaiḥ || 16 ||

Translation

ದ್ವಿಜರು ತೀರ್ಥರಾಜನ ಮಹಾತ್ಮ್ಯವನ್ನು ವರ್ಣಿಸುವವರೆಗೆ, ತೀರ್ಥಗಳು ತಮತಮ ಮಹಿಮೆಯನ್ನು ಪ್ರತ್ಯೇಕವಾಗಿ ಗರ್ಜಿಸಿ ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸುತ್ತವೆ।

Word by Word

• तावत्: so long
• तावत्: काल/अवधि (Temporal extent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधिवाचक (correlative adverb ‘so long/that much’)

• गर्जन्ति: roar/proclaim loudly
• गर्जन्ति: क्रिया (Verb action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• तीर्थानि: holy places (tīrthas)
• तीर्थानि: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• माहात्म्यैः: with (their) greatness/glories
• माहात्म्यैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• स्वैः: their own
• स्वैः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; agrees with ‘माहात्म्यैः’

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; भेदवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb ‘separately’)

• पृथक्: each by itself
• पृथक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति-बल (reduplication for emphasis)

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: काल/अवधि (Temporal limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; यावत्-तावत् सम्बन्धी (correlative adverb ‘until/so long as’)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक (negation particle)

• तीर्थ-राजस्य: of the king of tīrthas
• तीर्थ-राजस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तीर्थानां राजा)

• माहात्म्यम्: the greatness (glory)
• माहात्म्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘varṇyate’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• वर्ण्यते: is described
• वर्ण्यते: क्रिया (Verb action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense) ‘is described’

• द्विजैः: by the twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजैः: कर्ता (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (agent in passive)

Speaker

Narada (within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Tirtha
• Dvija

FAQs

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

It teaches that among many celebrated tīrthas, there is a supreme “Tīrtharāja” whose glory eclipses others—true spiritual emphasis is placed on the highest sanctifying power as affirmed by Vedic authorities (dvijas).

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

By directing attention from competing claims of sacred places to the preeminent Tīrtharāja, the verse models bhakti’s principle of focusing devotion on the highest object of sanctity, as recognized and sung by learned devotees.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights the role of authoritative recitation and praise (varṇana) by dvijas—linking to proper ritual transmission and textual exposition (śāstra-pravacana), rather than a specific technical Vedāṅga like jyotiṣa or vyākaraṇa.