Shloka 86

Tīrtha-Māhātmya of the Sarasvatī Region and the Praise of Kurukṣetra

Pilgrimage Merits

Devanagari script

अमावास्यां तथा चैव राहुग्रस्ते दिवाकरे । यः श्राद्धं कुरुते मर्त्यस्तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु

Transliteration

amāvāsyāṃ tathā caiva rāhugraste divākare | yaḥ śrāddhaṃ kurute martyastasya puṇyaphalaṃ śṛṇu

Translation

Pada hari Amāvasyā, dan juga ketika matahari digerhana oleh Rāhu, sesiapa daripada manusia yang melaksanakan Śrāddha—dengarlah hasil pahala kebajikannya.

Word by Word

• अमावास्याम्: on the new-moon day
• अमावास्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमावास्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of time)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

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

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

• राहुग्रस्ते: when seized by Rāhu (eclipsed)
• राहुग्रस्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राहु (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रस्त (कृदन्त; √ग्रस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• दिवाकरे: in the sun
• दिवाकरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• कुरुते: performs
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• मर्त्यः: a mortal/man
• मर्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (apposition to यः)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• पुण्यफलम्: meritorious result
• पुण्यफलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object of शृणु)

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator continuing the discourse in Svarga-khaṇḍa 27)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: मर्त्यस्तस्य = मर्त्यः तस्य; अन्यत्र स्पष्टसन्धिः।

Characters & Entities

• Rāhu
• Divākara (Sun)

FAQs

What ritual timing does this verse highlight for śrāddha?

It highlights two especially potent times: Amāvāsyā (new-moon day) and a solar eclipse (the sun ‘seized by Rāhu’) as occasions connected with heightened results for śrāddha.

Why is the eclipse described as ‘Rāhu-grasta’ (seized by Rāhu)?

Purāṇic language personifies eclipses as Rāhu’s grasp upon the luminary; the verse uses this traditional cosmological imagery to mark the eclipse-time as ritually significant.

What ethical or devotional lesson is implied here?

The verse implies the value of honoring ancestors through prescribed rites at auspicious times, emphasizing responsibility, gratitude, and continuity of dharma across generations.