Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

व्यवहर्ता तृतीयांशं सेवयाष्टमभागभाक् । अनिच्छया व्रजंस्तत्र तीर्थमर्धफलं लभेत्

Transliteration

vyavahartā tṛtīyāṃśaṃ sevayāṣṭamabhāgabhāk | anicchayā vrajaṃstatra tīrthamardhaphalaṃ labhet

Translation

ຜູ້ທີ່ຫມົກມຸ່ນໃນການຄ້າຂາຍໂລກີຍ ຈະໄດ້ບຸນພຽງໜຶ່ງໃນສາມ; ຜູ້ທີ່ໄປເພື່ອຮັບໃຊ້ຢ່າງດຽວ ໄດ້ໜຶ່ງໃນແປດ. ແຕ່ຜູ້ທີ່ໄປຫາຕີຣະຖະອັນສັກສິດນັ້ນດ້ວຍຄວາມບໍ່ເຕັມໃຈ ຈະໄດ້ຜົນພຽງເຄິ່ງໜຶ່ງເທົ່ານັ້ນ.

Word by Word

• vyavahartā: one engaged in worldly dealings
• vyavahartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyavahartṛ (प्रातिपदिक; from √hṛ with vi+ava+ prefixes, agent noun)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tṛtīya-aṃśam: a third part
• tṛtīya-aṃśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛtīya (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; 'third part'

• sevayā: by service
• sevayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sevā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• aṣṭama-bhāga-bhāk: having an eighth share
• aṣṭama-bhāga-bhāk: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭama (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāj (प्रातिपदिक; 'sharer', from √bhaj)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective meaning 'having an eighth share'

• anicchayā: unwillingly
• anicchayā: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anicchā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; 'unwillingly' (instrumental of manner)

• vrajan: going
• vrajan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vraj (व्रज्, to go)
• Form: Śatṛ-pratyaya present active participle (वर्तमान-कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• tīrtham: the pilgrimage place
• tīrtham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ardha-phalam: half the merit/result
• ardha-phalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ardha (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; 'half fruit/result'

• labhet: would obtain/should obtain
• labhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √labh (लभ्, to obtain)
• Form: Vidhiliṅ-lakāra (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

Speaker

Unspecified (context-dependent; speaker not identifiable from this single verse alone)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: sevayāṣṭamabhāgabhāk → sevayā + aṣṭama-bhāga-bhāk; vrajaṃstatra → vrajan + tatra; tīrthamardhaphalam → tīrtham + ardha-phalam.

FAQs

What is the main teaching of this verse?

It teaches that the spiritual merit (phala) gained from visiting a tīrtha varies according to one’s inner disposition—worldly-mindedness, mere duty/service, or reluctance affects the result.

Why does the verse connect pilgrimage merit with intention?

Because in Purāṇic ethics, inner orientation (bhāva) shapes the spiritual efficacy of actions; the same outward act can yield different results depending on motivation.

Does this verse discourage going to a tīrtha if one is not fully devoted?

No; it implies that even an imperfect visit yields some fruit, but encourages cultivating a purer intention so that the act becomes more spiritually fruitful.