Shloka 37

The Greatness of Avimukta (Kāśī/Vārāṇasī) and the Doctrine of Liberation-in-One-Life

Devanagari script

अन्यत्र सुलभा गंगा श्राद्धं दानं तपो जपः । व्रतानि सर्वमेवैतद्वाराणस्यां सुदुर्ल्लभम्

Transliteration

anyatra sulabhā gaṃgā śrāddhaṃ dānaṃ tapo japaḥ | vratāni sarvamevaitadvārāṇasyāṃ sudurllabham

Translation

Di tempat lain, Gaṅgā mudah didatangi, begitu juga upacara śrāddha, sedekah, tapa, japa dan segala vrata; namun di Vārāṇasī semuanya itu (dengan keberkesanan sejatinya) amat sukar diperoleh.

Word by Word

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), देश/प्रकरण-वाचक (adverb of place: elsewhere)

• सुलभा: easily obtainable
• सुलभा: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुलभ (प्रातिपदिक: सु + लभ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्

• गङ्गा: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समुच्चित-विषयः (listed item)

• दानम्: charity; giving
• दानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• जपः: recitation; mantra-japa
• जपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• व्रतानि: vows; observances
• व्रतानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (collective: all of this)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अवधारण-निपातः (emphatic particle: just/indeed)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun) — ‘this (all)’

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुदुर्लभम्: very difficult to obtain
• सुदुर्लभम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक: सु + दुर्लभ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (predicate adjective for एतत्/सर्वम्)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice not provided in the input excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: सर्वमेवैतद्वाराणस्यां = सर्वम् + एव + एतत् + वाराणस्याम् (म् + ए → मे; एव + एतत् → एवैतत्). सुदुर्ल्लभम् is orthographic for सुदुर्लभम् (gemination in some editions).

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)

FAQs

What is the main teaching of this Padma Purana verse?

It contrasts ordinary accessibility of sacred practices elsewhere with the exceptional, rare spiritual attainment associated with Vārāṇasī (Kāśī), implying that the same acts gain special potency there.

Which practices are listed in this shloka?

The verse lists bathing/approach to the Gaṅgā, śrāddha (ancestral rites), dāna (charity), tapaḥ (austerity), japaḥ (mantra-recitation), and vrata (vows/observances).

How does this verse support tīrtha-focused devotion in the Svarga-khaṇḍa?

By highlighting Kāśī as uniquely difficult to ‘obtain’ in terms of true merit, it elevates pilgrimage geography (tīrthas) as a key framework for dharma and spiritual progress in this section.