Shloka 92

Account of Various Sacred Tīrthas

Pilgrimage Merits and Prayāga Supremacy

Devanagari script

उपास्य पुण्यं लब्ध्वा च भवति परलोकभाक् । न गंगा सदृशं तीर्थं न देवः केशवात्परः

Transliteration

upāsya puṇyaṃ labdhvā ca bhavati paralokabhāk | na gaṃgā sadṛśaṃ tīrthaṃ na devaḥ keśavātparaḥ

Translation

ଉପାସନା କରି ପୁଣ୍ୟ ଲାଭ କଲେ ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ପରଲୋକର ଅଧିକାରୀ ହୁଏ। ଗଙ୍ଗା ସମାନ କୌଣସି ତୀର୍ଥ ନାହିଁ, ଏବଂ କେଶବ (ବିଷ୍ଣୁ) ଠାରୁ ଉଚ୍ଚ କୌଣସି ଦେବ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• उपास्य: having worshipped
• उपास्य: Kriya (क्रिया; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु) → उपास्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष (absolutive in -ya; gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having worshipped/served)

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object of 'उपास्य/लब्ध्वा'

• लब्ध्वा: having obtained
• लब्ध्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु) → लब्ध्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having obtained)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; (he) becomes

• परलोकभाक्: a partaker of the next world (attains the hereafter)
• परलोकभाक्: Karta (कर्ता; predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परलोक + भज् (धातु) → भाक् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; 'भाक्' (possessing/partaking) as बहुव्रीहि-सदृश विशेषण; predicate adjective with 'भवति'

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation: not)

• गङ्गा: Ganga
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; subject in comparison

• सदृशम्: equal/similar
• सदृशम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; predicate adjective qualifying 'तीर्थम्' (equal/similar)

• तीर्थम्: pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karta (कर्ता; in nominal sentence)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; predicate nominative (no pilgrimage-place like Ganga)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (not)

• देवः: god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; subject in nominal sentence

• केशवात्: than Keśava
• केशवात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative: than Kesava)

• परः: superior
• परः: Visheshana (विशेषण; predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; predicate adjective (higher/superior)

Speaker

Unspecified (context not provided; commonly within Padma Purāṇa Svargakhaṇḍa this may occur in a Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue, but cannot be confirmed from the single verse alone).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: river

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: केशवात्परः = केशवात् + परः.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Keśava (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What does this verse teach about the supreme tīrtha (pilgrimage place)?

It elevates the Gaṅgā as unmatched among tīrthas, presenting her as the foremost sacred place for purification and religious merit.

How does this verse express Vaiṣṇava theology?

It explicitly states Keśava (Viṣṇu) as the highest deity, a hallmark of Vaiṣṇava devotional hierarchy within Purāṇic literature.

What is the ethical or practical takeaway for a practitioner?

Engage in worship that generates puṇya (merit); such merit is portrayed as leading to favorable post-mortem destiny, while devotion to Keśava and reverence for the Gaṅgā are emphasized as especially efficacious.