Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 35

Gṛhastha-nitya-karman: Śauca, Sandhyā-vidhi, Pañca-yajña, and Āśrama-krama

Devanagari script

अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशीं कांची ह्यवंतिका । पुरी द्वारावती ज्ञेया सप्तैता मोक्षदायिकाः ॥ ३५ ॥

Transliteration

ayodhyā mathurā māyā kāśīṃ kāṃcī hyavaṃtikā | purī dvārāvatī jñeyā saptaitā mokṣadāyikāḥ || 35 ||

Translation

അയോധ്യ, മഥുര, മായാ (ഹരിദ്വാർ), കാശി, കാഞ്ചി, അവന്തികാ (ഉജ്ജയിനി), പുരി, ദ്വാരാവതി—ഇവ ഏഴ് നഗരങ്ങളും മോക്ഷദായിനികളായി അറിയപ്പെടുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अयोध्या: Ayodhya
• अयोध्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन (नाम)

• मथुरा: Mathura
• मथुरा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथुरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन (नाम)

• माया: Maya (city-name)
• माया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन (अत्र: हरिद्वार-क्षेत्रे ‘माया’ नाम नगरी)

• काशीम्: Kashi
• काशीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन (सूच्यते/गण्यते इति भावे)

• काञ्ची: Kanchi
• काञ्ची: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काञ्ची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म) / प्रथमा (1) एकवचन; पाठानुसारं गणनायां द्वितीया

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• अवन्तिका: Avantika (Ujjain)
• अवन्तिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवन्तिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन (नाम)

• पुरी: Puri
• पुरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन (नाम)

• द्वारावती: Dvaravati (Dwarka)
• द्वारावती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारावती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन (नाम)

• ज्ञेयाः: are to be known
• ज्ञेयाः: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्/यत्), भविष्यत्कर्तव्यता/विधेयार्थ; प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग (एताः सह)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अत्र ‘सप्त’ = seven

• एताः: these
• एताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• मोक्ष-दायिकाः: granting liberation
• मोक्ष-दायिकाः: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + दायिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘mokṣa-giving’

Speaker

Narada (in instruction/dialogue context within Purva Bhaga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhya
• Mathura
• Maya (Haridvara)
• Kashi (Varanasi)
• Kanchi
• Avantika (Ujjain)
• Puri
• Dvaravati (Dvaraka)
• Moksha

FAQs

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

It identifies the Sapta-Purī—seven pre-eminent sacred cities—whose association (darśana, residence, remembrance, worship, and pilgrimage) is praised as especially conducive to mokṣa in Purāṇic dharma.

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

By highlighting renowned kṣetras linked with Bhagavān and major forms of worship, it points to bhakti expressed through tīrtha-yātrā, darśana, nāma-smaraṇa, and service in holy places—practices repeatedly endorsed in the Narada Purana’s devotional framework.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Indirectly, it supports dharma-śāstric application of tīrtha-yātrā: knowing recognized kṣetras and their traditional names (anukrama/itihāsa usage) for planning vows, observances, and pilgrimage calendars; no specific technical Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is explicitly taught in this verse.