Shloka 20

Tīrtha-Māhātmya: Catalog of Sacred Places and the Supreme Inner Tīrtha

Devanagari script

कृते शौचे मुक्तिदं च शार्ङ्गधारी तदन्तिके / विरजं सर्वदं तीर्थं स्वर्णाक्षं तीर्थमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

kṛte śauce muktidaṃ ca śārṅgadhārī tadantike / virajaṃ sarvadaṃ tīrthaṃ svarṇākṣaṃ tīrthamuttamam

Translation

കൃതയുഗത്തിൽ ശൗചത്തിനടുത്ത് ശാർങ്ഗധാരി ഭഗവാൻ മുക്തിദാതാവായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു. സമീപം വിരജാ—സകലഫലദായകമായ നിർമല തീർത്ഥം—മറ്റും സ്വർണാക്ഷം എന്ന ഉത്തമ തീർത്ഥവും ഉണ്ട്.

Word by Word

• कृते: in the Kṛta (age)
• कृते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; 'कृतयुगे' इत्यर्थे (locative: 'in Kṛta-yuga')

• शौचे: in purity/cleanliness
• शौचे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; 'शौचे (शुद्धौ)' इत्यर्थे

• मुक्तिदम्: granting liberation
• मुक्तिदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—मुक्तिं ददाति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष) विशेषणम् (qualifying implied तीर्थम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• शार्ङ्गधारी: the bearer of Śārṅga (Viṣṇu)
• शार्ङ्गधारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्ग + धारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः—शार्ङ्गं धनुः धारयति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• तदन्तिके: near that (place)/near him
• तदन्तिके: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् + अन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; सप्तमी-एकवचन-रूपेण 'तस्य अन्तिके' = 'near that/near him'

• विरजम्: Viraja (tīrtha)
• विरजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• सर्वदम्: granting all (boons)
• सर्वदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—सर्वं ददाति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष) विशेषणम् (qualifying तीर्थम्)

• तीर्थम्: tīrtha
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• स्वर्णाक्षम्: Svarṇākṣa (tīrtha-name)
• स्वर्णाक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ण + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—स्वर्णम् इव अक्षं/स्वर्णाक्षं (कर्मधारय) प्रचलित-तीर्थनाम

• तीर्थम्: tīrtha
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent/supreme
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying तीर्थम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divine presence sanctifies place and time; remembrance of Viṣṇu (Śārṅgadhārī) and approach to pure tīrthas yields comprehensive welfare (sarvada).

Vedantic Theme: Smṛti of Bhagavān as purifier; kṣetra as upāya supporting bhakti that matures toward śānti and liberation-eligibility.

Application: Anchor pilgrimage in Viṣṇu-smaraṇa (especially Śārṅgadhārī), keep śauca (outer/inner cleanliness), and combine snāna with nāma-japa and dāna.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha cluster/kshetra vicinity

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.81 (tīrtha-kathana; yuga-linked sanctity motif)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Śārṅgadhārī)
• Kṛta Yuga
• Śauce (tīrtha)
• Virajā (tīrtha)
• Svarṇākṣa (tīrtha)

FAQs

What is the importance of tīrthas like Virajā and Svarṇākṣa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents them as exceptionally potent pilgrimage-fords—Virajā as ‘stainless’ and ‘all-bestowing,’ and Svarṇākṣa as ‘supreme’—highlighting tīrtha-yātrā as a means of purification and spiritual attainment.

How does this verse connect Viṣṇu (Śārṅgadhārī) with liberation (moksha)?

It explicitly calls the Śārṅga-bearer ‘muktida’ (giver of liberation), implying that proximity to Viṣṇu and engagement with sanctifying sacred spaces are linked with release from bondage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat pilgrimage and sacred practice as inner cleansing: combine devotion (Viṣṇu-smaraṇa), ethical purity (śauca), and disciplined worship—so the ‘tīrtha’ becomes both an outer visit and an inner transformation.