Shloka 21

Kāmodākhyāna

Glory of the Kāmodā Sacred Place

Devanagari script

ध्यात्वा पुरं च कामोदं स भवेद्विष्णुवल्लभः । देवतानां पितॄणां च वल्लभो नात्र संशयः ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

dhyātvā puraṃ ca kāmodaṃ sa bhavedviṣṇuvallabhaḥ | devatānāṃ pitṝṇāṃ ca vallabho nātra saṃśayaḥ || 21 ||

Translation

ເມື່ອພິຈາລະນາດ້ວຍສະມາທິເຖິງນະຄອນຊື່ ກາໂມດະ ຜູ້ນັ້ນຈະເປັນທີ່ຮັກຂອງພຣະວິສນຸ; ແລະຍັງເປັນທີ່ຮັກຂອງເທວະດາ ແລະບັນພະບຸລຸດ—ບໍ່ມີຂໍ້ສົງໄສເລີຍ।

Word by Word

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), परस्मैपदी; ‘having meditated’

• पुरम्: the city
• पुरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कामोदम्: Kāmoda (name of the city/holy place)
• कामोदम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामोद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Proper noun; Accusative singular

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Pronoun; Nominative singular

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपदी

• विष्णु-वल्लभः: beloved of Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-वल्लभः: कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विष्णोः वल्लभः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; Nominative singular

• देवतानाम्: of the deities
• देवतानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वल्लभः: beloved
• वल्लभः: कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

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

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: here)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a tirtha-mahatmya context, traditionally within Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framing)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Devas
• Pitrs
• Kamoda (Pura)

FAQs

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

It teaches that smaraṇa/dhyāna of a sacred kṣetra (here, the city Kāmoda) itself becomes a merit-bearing act, making the practitioner dear to Viṣṇu and spiritually aligned with divine and ancestral realms.

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

Bhakti is shown as accessible through contemplative remembrance: meditating on a Viṣṇu-connected sacred place cultivates viṣṇu-priyatā (being beloved to Viṣṇu), emphasizing inner devotion alongside external pilgrimage.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse most directly reflects smṛti-based ritual theology rather than a specific Vedāṅga; practically, it supports dhyāna/smaraṇa as an auxiliary discipline to tīrtha-yātrā and pitṛ-related duties (e.g., śrāddha/tarpaṇa) by stressing Deva–Pitṛ satisfaction.