Shloka 11

Tīrtha-Māhātmya: Mahālaya, Kedāra, Rivers and Fords, and Devadāru Forest

Akṣaya-Karma Doctrine

Devanagari script

तत्र गङ्गामुपस्पृश्य शुचिर्भावसमन्वितः / मुच्यते सर्वपापैस्तु ब्रह्मलोकं लभेन्मृतः

Transliteration

tatra gaṅgāmupaspṛśya śucirbhāvasamanvitaḥ / mucyate sarvapāpaistu brahmalokaṃ labhenmṛtaḥ

Translation

അവിടെ ഗംഗാജലത്തെ ആചമന-സ്പര്‍ശം ചെയ്ത് മനുഷ്യന്‍ ശുദ്ധനായി പവിത്രഭാവം കൈവരിക്കുന്നു. അവന്‍ സകലപാപങ്ങളില്‍നിന്നും മോചിതനായി മരണാനന്തരം ബ്രഹ്മലോകം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• गङ्गाम्: the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उपस्पृश्य: having bathed/touched
• उपस्पृश्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), परस्मैपदी; ‘having touched/bathed (by touching water)’

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• भाव-समन्वितः: endowed with devotion/feeling
• भाव-समन्वितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः (bhāvena samanvitaḥ)

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (is released)

• सर्व-पापैः: from all sins
• सर्व-पापैः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (sarvāṇi pāpāni)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: emphasis/contrast)

• ब्रह्म-लोकम्: Brahmā’s world
• ब्रह्म-लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (brahmaṇaḥ lokaḥ)

• लभेत्: would attain
• लभेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘would obtain’

• मृतः: (when) dead; after death
• मृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण (one who has died)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the tīrtha-māhātmya within the Kurma Purāṇa’s discourse to the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Brahmaloka
• Brahmā

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: it emphasizes purification through sacred contact and inner bhāva, preparing the seeker for higher states (here, Brahmaloka), rather than explicitly defining Ātman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

A purification-oriented discipline: tīrtha-upaspṛśa (ritual contact/ablution) joined with bhāva (right inner intention). In Kurma Purāṇa ethics, external rite bears fruit when supported by inner mental purity.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

This verse is tīrtha-centered and does not name Śiva or Viṣṇu; its synthesis is implicit in the Purāṇic principle that sacred waters and dharma-practice are universally efficacious across Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava frameworks when accompanied by pure bhāva.