Shloka 28

Narmadā-tīrtha-māhātmya — Bhṛgu-tīrtha to Sāgara-saṅgama

Pilgrimage Circuit, Gifts, Fasting, and Imperishable Merit

Devanagari script

जलप्रवेशं यः कुर्यात् तस्मिंस्तीर्थे नराधिप / हंसयुक्तेन यानेन स्वर्गलोकं स गच्छति

Transliteration

jalapraveśaṃ yaḥ kuryāt tasmiṃstīrthe narādhipa / haṃsayuktena yānena svargalokaṃ sa gacchati

Translation

നരാധിപാ! ആ തീർത്ഥത്തിൽ ജലത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിക്കുന്നവൻ, ഹംസയുക്തമായ ദിവ്യവാഹനത്തിൽ സ്വർഗ്ഗലോകത്തെ പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• jala-praveśam: entry into water; immersion
• jala-praveśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + praveśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (water-entry/immersion)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; relative pronoun

• kuryāt: should do
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• tīrthe: at the sacred place
• tīrthe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• nara-adhipa: O king
• nara-adhipa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘lord of men’

• haṃsa-yuktena: with (a vehicle) yoked to swans
• haṃsa-yuktena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: haṃsa (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; instrumental agreeing with yānena; ‘joined with swans’

• yānena: by a vehicle
• yānena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• svarga-lokam: heaven-world
• svarga-lokam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘world of heaven’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• gacchati: goes
• gacchati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma (Vishnu)
• Indradyumna
• Tirtha
• Svarga
• Hamsa (swan)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it presents tīrtha-immersion as an outer act of purification that supports dharma and sattva; in the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis, such purification is a preparatory aid for inner realization of the Self, though this verse itself emphasizes the karmic fruit (svarga).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights purification through tīrtha-snana (ritual immersion), a supporting discipline that steadies the mind and refines conduct; in the Kurma Purana’s wider Pashupata-oriented framework, such external purity complements inner practices like japa, restraint, and contemplation.

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

By having Lord Kurma teach tīrtha-dharma, the text frames pilgrimage merit within a unified puranic spirituality where Vishnu’s instruction supports practices often shared across Shaiva-Vaishnava traditions; the verse itself is non-sectarian and dharma-centered.