Shloka 29

Account of Various Sacred Tīrthas

Pilgrimage Merits and Prayāga Supremacy

Devanagari script

अब्राह्मणस्य पठतः सावित्री तूपनश्यति । संवर्तस्य तु विप्रर्षे वापीमासाद्य दुर्ल्लभाम्

Transliteration

abrāhmaṇasya paṭhataḥ sāvitrī tūpanaśyati | saṃvartasya tu viprarṣe vāpīmāsādya durllabhām

Translation

ଅବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଯଦି ସାବିତ୍ରୀ (ଗାୟତ୍ରୀ) ପଠେ, ତେବେ ସେ ସାବିତ୍ରୀ ନିଷ୍ଫଳ ହୁଏ; ହେ ବିପ୍ରଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ, ସଂବର୍ତ୍ତ ଯେତେବେଳେ ଏକ ଦୁର୍ଲଭ କୂପକୁ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ହେଲେ…

Word by Word

• a-brāhmaṇasya: of a non-Brahmin
• a-brāhmaṇasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (genitive with 'paṭhataḥ')
• Type: Noun
• Root: a- (उपसर्ग/नञ्) + brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्यय (negation): 'of a non-Brahmin'

• paṭhataḥ: while reciting / of one reciting
• paṭhataḥ: Kartṛ-sambandha (कर्तृ-सम्बन्ध) (genitive absolute-like: 'while he recites')
• Type: Verb
• Root: paṭh (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Puṃliṅga/napuṃ (contextual), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'of (one) who is reciting'

• sāvitrī: the Sāvitrī (mantra)
• sāvitrī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāvitrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: None (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात): emphasis/contrast

• upanaśyati: perishes/is ruined
• upanaśyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-naś (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• saṃvartasya: of Saṃvarta
• saṃvartasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (genitive: 'of Saṃvarta')
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃvarta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tu: and/but
• tu: None (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात): 'and/but'

• vipra-ṛṣe: O Brahmin-sage
• vipra-ṛṣe: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'O sage who is a brāhmaṇa' (address)

• vāpīm: a well/pond
• vāpīm: Karma (कर्म) (object of 'āsādya')
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāpī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• āsādya: having reached
• āsādya: Kriyā (क्रिया) (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-sad (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त): 'having reached/approached'

• durllabhām: hard to obtain/rare
• durllabhām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur-labha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agrees with 'vāpīm'

Speaker

Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses of Svarga-khaṇḍa 39).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: tūpanaśyati → tu + upanaśyati; vāpīm + āsādya → vāpīmāsādya; viprarṣe is read as vipra-ṛṣe (r + ṛ sandhi).

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī)
• Saṃvarta

FAQs

What is the main teaching of this verse about the Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī)?

It asserts a traditional rule of ritual eligibility: the Sāvitrī is said to become ineffective when recited by someone described here as “a non-Brahmin,” reflecting a dharma-śāstra style restriction within the text’s ritual framework.

Why does the verse mention Saṃvarta and a rare well (vāpī)?

It signals a narrative transition: after stating a rule about mantra-recitation, the text begins an episode involving Saṃvarta encountering a difficult-to-find well, likely connected to a tīrtha, vow, or karmic lesson in the surrounding verses.

What ethical or practical lesson can a reader take from this passage?

Within its traditional setting, it emphasizes disciplined use of sacred mantras according to prescribed norms, and it hints that ensuing narrative (Saṃvarta and the rare well) will illustrate consequences, merit, or instruction tied to proper conduct and sacred places.