Shloka 21

The Greatness of Puṣkara: Tripuṣkara Pilgrimage, Sacred Geography, and the Doctrine of Self-Restraint

Devanagari script

अभिगच्छंति राजेंद्र चैत्रशुक्ल चतुर्दशीं । तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत पितृदेवार्चने रतः

Transliteration

abhigacchaṃti rājeṃdra caitraśukla caturdaśīṃ | tatrābhiṣekaṃ kurvīta pitṛdevārcane rataḥ

Translation

ഹേ രാജേന്ദ്രാ! ചൈത്ര ശുക്ലപക്ഷത്തിലെ ചതുര്ദശിയിൽ അവിടെ ചെന്നു പിതൃ-ദേവാരാധനയിൽ നിരതനായി അഭിഷേകം ചെയ്യണം।

Word by Word

• अभिगच्छन्ति: they go/approach
• अभिगच्छन्ति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः—राज्ञाम् इन्द्रः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• चैत्रशुक्ल: (in) the bright fortnight of Caitra
• चैत्रशुक्ल: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चैत्र + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समासप्रातिपदिक; (तिथेः विशेषणम्) समासः—चैत्रे शुक्लः (कर्मधारय/विशेषणसमास)

• चतुर्दशीम्: the fourteenth lunar day
• चतुर्दशीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Kriya-visheshana (Locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• अभिषेकम्: ablution/ritual bathing (consecration)
• अभिषेकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिषेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कुर्वीत: should perform
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (Injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पितृदेवार्चने: in the worship of ancestors and gods
• पितृदेवार्चने: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + देव + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—पितॄणां देवानां च अर्चनम् (समाहार/द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद + षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• रतः: engaged/devoted
• रतः: Visheshana (Qualifier of implied subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (engaged)

Speaker

Unspecified (addressing a king: rājendra); likely a narrator/teacher speaking to a royal interlocutor within the chapter’s dialogue context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: अभिगच्छंति = अभिगच्छन्ति; तत्राभिषेकं = तत्र + अभिषेकम्; पितृदेवार्चने = पितृदेव + अर्चने (समास/सन्धि).

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Devas (gods)

FAQs

What ritual timing is prescribed in this verse?

It specifies Caitra month, bright fortnight (śukla pakṣa), on the 14th lunar day (caturdaśī) as the occasion for going to the sacred place and performing abhiṣeka.

What is the main religious practice emphasized here?

Performing abhiṣeka (ritual bathing/anointing) along with devoted worship (arcana) of both the Pitṛs (ancestors) and the Devas (gods).

What ethical or devotional attitude does the verse highlight?

It stresses being 'rataḥ'—steadfastly devoted—indicating that sincerity and dedication in ancestor- and deity-worship are central to the observance.