Shloka 18

Ratnagrīva’s Pilgrimage and the Prescribed Procedure for Visiting Sacred Tīrthas

Devanagari script

तानि तीर्थानि विधिना दृष्टानि प्रहरंत्यघम् । तं विधिं नृपशार्दूल कुरुष्व श्रुतिगोचरम्

Transliteration

tāni tīrthāni vidhinā dṛṣṭāni praharaṃtyagham | taṃ vidhiṃ nṛpaśārdūla kuruṣva śrutigocaram

Translation

ಆ ತೀರ್ಥಗಳು ವಿಧಿವಿಧಾನದಿಂದ ದರ್ಶನ ಮಾಡಿದಾಗ ಪಾಪವನ್ನು ಸಂಹರಿಸುತ್ತವೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ, ಹೇ ನೃಪಶಾರ್ದೂಲ, ಶ್ರುತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಳಿದ ಆ ವಿಧಿಯನ್ನು ಆಚರಿಸು।

Word by Word

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage-sites
• तीर्थानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तानि इति सर्वनामस्य विशेष्य

• विधिना: by proper procedure/rite
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृष्टानि: seen/visited
• दृष्टानि: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तीर्थानि इत्यस्य विशेषण

• प्रहरन्ति: strike down; destroy
• प्रहरन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अघम्: sin
• अघम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विधिम्: procedure; rule
• विधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नृपशार्दूल: O tiger among kings
• नृपशार्दूल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Vocative); समासः: नृपः शार्दूल इव (tiger among kings)

• कुरुष्व: do; perform
• कुरुष्व: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• श्रुतिगोचरम्: in accordance with śruti; scripturally sanctioned
• श्रुतिगोचरम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying विधिम्); समासः: श्रुतेः गोचरः (within the scope of the Vedas/śruti)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator/sage addressing a king (nṛpaśārdūla) in dialogue context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रहरंत्यघम् → प्रहरन्ति + अघम्. Compounds: नृपशार्दूल (karmadhāraya), श्रुतिगोचरम् (tatpuruṣa).

FAQs

What is the main teaching of this verse about tīrtha pilgrimage?

It teaches that pilgrimage is spiritually effective when done with proper observance (vidhi), not merely by physically arriving at a sacred place.

What does śrutigocaram imply in this context?

It implies that the correct method should align with Śruti—Vedic authority—i.e., established, orthodox principles of ritual and conduct rather than arbitrary practice.

What ethical lesson is conveyed to the king (nṛpaśārdūla)?

The king is urged to practice disciplined, scripture-aligned conduct: purification comes through humility, right method, and adherence to dharma, not through shortcuts.