Shloka 7

The Glory of Vārāṇasī

Catalogue of Tīrthas and a Liṅga-Installation Episode

Devanagari script

अग्नितीर्थं महाराज कलशेश्वरमुत्तमम् । नागतीर्थं सोमतीर्थं सूर्यतीर्थं तथैव च

Transliteration

agnitīrthaṃ mahārāja kalaśeśvaramuttamam | nāgatīrthaṃ somatīrthaṃ sūryatīrthaṃ tathaiva ca

Translation

മഹാരാജാവേ! അഗ്നിതീർത്ഥം, അത്യുത്തമ കലശേശ്വരം, നാഗതീർത്ഥം, സോമതീർത്ഥം, അതുപോലെ സൂര്യതീർത്ഥവും ഉണ്ട്.

Word by Word

• अग्नितीर्थम्: the Agni tīrtha
• अग्नितीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अग्नेः तीर्थम्)

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् राजा)

• कलशेश्वरम्: Kalaśeśvara
• कलशेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलश (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कलशस्य ईश्वरः)

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भानुसार), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• नागतीर्थम्: the Nāga tīrtha
• नागतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नागस्य/नागानां तीर्थम्)

• सोमतीर्थम्: the Soma tīrtha
• सोमतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सोमस्य तीर्थम्)

• सूर्यतीर्थम्: the Sūrya tīrtha
• सूर्यतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सूर्यस्य तीर्थम्)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रमसूचक

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

Speaker

Unspecified narrator addressing a king (mahārāja) within the Svargakhaṇḍa dialogue frame

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: कलशेश्वरमुत्तमम् = कलशेश्वरम् + उत्तमम्; तथैव = तथा + एव

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Kalaśeśvara
• Nāga
• Soma
• Sūrya

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the geography of sacred Tīrthas?

It presents a catalog-style enumeration of multiple tīrthas and associated deities (Agni, Nāga, Soma, Sūrya), indicating a sacred landscape mapped through divine associations and named pilgrimage nodes.

How does this verse emphasize the path of Bhakti?

By naming deity-linked tīrthas and a shrine (Kalaśeśvara), it frames devotion as practiced through pilgrimage, remembrance, and reverence toward divine forms present in specific sacred places.

What is the ethical lesson from this dialogue?

The verse implies a dharmic orientation toward sanctifying one’s life through tīrtha-visits—cultivating purity, humility, and disciplined conduct in places regarded as spiritually potent.