Shloka 19

The Glory of Bhārata-varṣa: Enumerating Mountains, Rivers, and Regions

Devanagari script

पलाशिनीं पापहरां महेंद्रां पटलावतीम् । करीषिणीमसिक्नीं च कुशचीरीं महानदीम्

Transliteration

palāśinīṃ pāpaharāṃ maheṃdrāṃ paṭalāvatīm | karīṣiṇīmasiknīṃ ca kuśacīrīṃ mahānadīm

Translation

(അദ്ദേഹം) പലാശിനീ—പാപഹരിണീ, മഹേന്ദ്രാ, പടലാവതീ, കരീഷിണീ, അസിക്നീ; കൂടാതെ കുശചീരീയും മഹാനദിയും സ്മരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• पलाशिनीम्: Palāśinī (river-name)
• पलाशिनीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पलाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पापहराम्: sin-removing
• पापहराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप-हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive determinative): पापस्य हरः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महेंद्राम्: Mahendrā (river-name)
• महेंद्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेंद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (river-name used as feminine)

• पटलावतीम्: Paṭalāvatī (river-name)
• पटलावतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पटलावत्/पटलावती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• करीषिणीम्: Karīṣiṇī (river-name)
• करीषिणीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करीषिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• असिक्नीम्: Asiknī (river-name)
• असिक्नीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असिक्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कुशचीरीम्: Kuśacīrī (river-name)
• कुशचीरीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशचीरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महानदीम्: Mahānadī (the great river; river-name)
• महानदीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: महती नदी; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses of Svargakhaṇḍa 3.6).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: river

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: करीषिणीमसिक्नीं = करीषिणीम् + असिक्नीम् (म् + अ → म).

Characters & Entities

• Palāśinī
• Pāpaharā
• Mahendrā
• Paṭalāvatī
• Karīṣiṇī
• Asiknī
• Kuśacīrī
• Mahānadī

FAQs

What is the main theme of this verse in the Padma Purana?

It enumerates sacred rivers/tīrthas, presenting them as purifying places—especially highlighting a river explicitly described as “pāpaharā” (sin-removing).

Does this verse teach a specific religious practice?

Indirectly: by listing revered rivers, it supports the Purāṇic tīrtha tradition—pilgrimage, ritual bathing, and remembrance of sacred waters as means of purification.

Which river here is historically identifiable?

Asiknī is commonly identified in Indian geographical tradition with the Chenab River (in the Punjab region), though exact identifications for all names can vary by commentary and region.