Shloka 9

The Description of Mandara (Mandaropavarṇanam) in the Mohinī Narrative

Devanagari script

गतं ब्रह्मांडमार्गेण पयो यस्माद्गिरेर्द्विजाः । कूर्मास्थिघर्षता येन पावको जनितो महान् ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

gataṃ brahmāṃḍamārgeṇa payo yasmādgirerdvijāḥ | kūrmāsthigharṣatā yena pāvako janito mahān || 9 ||

Translation

Wahai para dwija, dari gunung itu susu mengalir menurut laluan kosmik; dan oleh geseran tulang Kūrma, terbitlah api yang maha besar.

Word by Word

• गतम्: went/has gone
• गतम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘gone’

• ब्रह्माण्डमार्गेण: by the path to the cosmic egg (universe)
• ब्रह्माण्डमार्गेण: Karana (करण/Instrument; path/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्माण्डस्य मार्गः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पयः: milk/water
• पयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र कर्तृ/कर्म-सम्भाव्य, प्रसङ्गतः कर्तृरूपेण

• यस्मात्: from which
• यस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• गिरेः: from the mountain
• गिरेः: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र ‘यस्मात्’ इत्यनेन सह पञ्चमी-अर्थे (from the mountain)

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Addressed audience)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे अपि सम्भवः, अत्र प्रथमा

• कूर्मास्थिघर्षता: by the rubbing of the tortoise-bones
• कूर्मास्थिघर्षता: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + घर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + ता (तद्धित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कूर्मस्य अस्थीनां घर्षणम् → कूर्मास्थिघर्षण; तस्य भावः ‘घर्षता’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पावकः: fire
• पावकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जनितः: was generated
• जनितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: हेतुमति-धातोः (causative) भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was produced’

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narada (narrating the tirtha-mahatmya in Uttara-Bhaga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmanda (cosmic sphere)
• Kurma (tortoise)

FAQs

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

It marks a sacred site (tirtha) as cosmically charged: miraculous flow (milk) and the manifestation of fire indicate extraordinary purity and merit-producing power associated with that place.

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

By highlighting divine marvels tied to a holy location, the verse encourages श्रद्धा (faith) and reverent pilgrimage—practices that naturally mature into devotion through remembrance of the Lord’s wondrous workings in sacred geography.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Kalpa (ritual application): the verse functions as a mahatmya-marker that supports tirtha-based rites (snana, dana, vrata) by establishing the site’s extraordinary sanctity.