Shloka 5

Tīrtha-yātrā-varṇana

Description of Pilgrimage to the Sacred Fords

Devanagari script

यत्र सा दृश्यते देवी विख्याता भीष्मचंडिका । श्मशाने तां समभ्यर्च्य न नरो दुर्गतिं व्रजेत् ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

yatra sā dṛśyate devī vikhyātā bhīṣmacaṃḍikā | śmaśāne tāṃ samabhyarcya na naro durgatiṃ vrajet || 5 ||

Translation

എവിടെ ആ ദേവി ‘ഭീഷ്മചണ്ഡിക’ എന്ന പേരിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധയായി ദർശനം നൽകുന്നുവോ, ആ ശ്മശാനത്തിൽ അവളെ വിധിപൂർവ്വം ആരാധിച്ചാൽ മനുഷ്യൻ ദുര്‍ഗതിയിലേക്കു വീഴുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक सम्बन्धक (relative adverb: where)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृश्यते: is seen/appears
• दृश्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive: is seen/appears)

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सा-समनाधिकरण (apposition)

• विख्याता: renowned
• विख्याता: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; देवी-विशेषण

• भीष्मचण्डिका: Bhīṣma-Caṇḍikā (the fierce Caṇḍikā)
• भीष्मचण्डिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + चण्डिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (भीष्मा चण्डिका), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; देवी-नाम

• श्मशाने: in the cremation ground
• श्मशाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• समभ्यर्च्य: having duly worshipped
• समभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-अभि-अर्च् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (having worshipped)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दुर्गतिम्: bad fate/misfortune
• दुर्गतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: would go/should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada (within a Tirtha-Mahatmya narration in Uttara-Bhaga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"bhayanaka","secondary_rasa":"bhakti","emotional_journey":"Awe and dread of the cremation-ground and fierce Goddess, transformed into devotional reassurance: proper worship prevents evil destiny."}

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Bhishma-Chandika

FAQs

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

It presents a Mahatmya-style assurance: sincere worship of the fierce protective form Bhīṣma-Caṇḍikā at her manifested site grants safeguard from durgati (a ruinous or spiritually harmful end).

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

Bhakti is expressed as samabhyarcana—reverent, proper worship—where the deity is tangibly present; devotion here is practical and place-linked, emphasizing faith, humility, and correct honoring of the Devi.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application is implied: knowing desha-kala-niyama (place and context) for worship—here, śmaśāna as the specified locus—reflects applied kalpa (ritual procedure) rather than grammar or astrology.