Shloka 83

Account of Various Sacred Tīrthas

Pilgrimage Merits and Prayāga Supremacy

Devanagari script

तत्र हंसप्रपतनं तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् । दशाश्वमेधिकं चैव गंगायां कुरुनंदन

Transliteration

tatra haṃsaprapatanaṃ tīrthaṃ trailokyaviśrutam | daśāśvamedhikaṃ caiva gaṃgāyāṃ kurunaṃdana

Translation

तेथे ‘हंसप्रपतन’ नावाचे तीर्थ आहे, जे त्रैलोक्यात विख्यात आहे. आणि हे कुरुनंदना, गंगेवर ‘दशाश्वमेधिक’ तीर्थही आहे.

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• haṃsa-prapatanam: (the place called) Haṃsaprapatana
• haṃsa-prapatanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haṃsa (प्रातिपदिक) + prapatana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषः (हंसस्य प्रपतनम्)

• tīrtham: a sacred ford
• tīrtham: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• trailokya-viśrutam: renowned in the three worlds
• trailokya-viśrutam: Karta (Adjective to subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri-loka (प्रातिपदिक) + viśruta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रैलोक्ये विश्रुतम् = renowned in the three worlds)

• daśa-aśvamedhikam: equivalent to ten Aśvamedhas
• daśa-aśvamedhikam: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (संख्या) + aśvamedhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः द्विगु (दश-अश्वमेध-फलसमम्)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• gaṅgāyām: in/on the Ganga
• gaṅgāyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• kuru-nandana: O delight of the Kurus
• kuru-nandana: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuru (प्रातिपदिक) + nandana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कुरूणां नन्दनः)

Speaker

Pulastya (to Bhīṣma)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: daśa+aśvamedhikam → daśāśvamedhikam (अ+अ → आ); ca+eva → caiva (अ+ए → ऐ).

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Kuru dynasty (Kurunandana)

FAQs

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

It names two specific Gaṅgā-associated tīrthas—Haṃsaprapatana and Daśāśvamedhika—presenting the Svargakhaṇḍa’s focus on mapping spiritually potent pilgrimage locations.

How does this verse emphasize the path of Bhakti?

By highlighting renowned tīrthas on the Gaṅgā, it supports a devotional culture where pilgrimage, remembrance, and reverence for sacred places become practical expressions of bhakti.

What is the ethical lesson from this dialogue?

The verse encourages honoring sacred spaces and traditions: seeking uplift through recognized holy sites and approaching them with humility and faith rather than mere curiosity.