Shloka 4

Puruṣottama-māhātmya

The Greatness of Puruṣottama Kṣetra

Devanagari script

पुरुषोत्तमविष्णोस्तु क्षेत्रं मुक्तिविधायकम् । श्रूयते हि पुराणेषु वर्णितं मुनिभिर्द्विजैः ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

puruṣottamaviṣṇostu kṣetraṃ muktividhāyakam | śrūyate hi purāṇeṣu varṇitaṃ munibhirdvijaiḥ || 4 ||

Translation

ਪੁਰੁਸ਼ੋਤਮ ਵਿਸ਼ਨੂ ਦਾ ਖੇਤਰ ਮੁਕਤੀ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਹੈ। ਇਹ ਪੁਰਾਣਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੁਣਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਮੁਨੀਆਂ ਤੇ ਦਵਿਜ ਰਿਸ਼ੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਇਸ ਦਾ ਵਰਣਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• पुरुषोत्तमविष्णोः: of Puruṣottama Viṣṇu
• पुरुषोत्तमविष्णोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषोत्तम-विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी (Genitive); कर्मधारय-समास (पुरुषोत्तमः विष्णुः)

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred place
• क्षेत्रम्: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative)

• मुक्तिविधायकम्: granting liberation
• मुक्तिविधायकम्: कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति-विधायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative); तत्पुरुष-समास (मुक्तिं विधत्ते इति)

• श्रूयते: is heard / is said
• श्रूयते: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• पुराणेषु: in the Purāṇas
• पुराणेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, सप्तमी (Locative)

• वर्णितम्: described
• वर्णितम्: कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी विशेषण (Predicate/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्णित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वर्ण् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative); भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• मुनिभिः: by sages
• मुनिभिः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया (Instrumental)

• द्विजैः: by twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजैः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया (Instrumental)

Speaker

Suta (narrating Purāṇic testimony about the Puruṣottama-kṣetra)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣottama
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It establishes Puruṣottama-Viṣṇu’s kṣetra as a mokṣa-prada tīrtha and grounds its greatness in Purāṇic authority, emphasizing that liberation is linked to Viṣṇu-centered sacred geography.

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

By calling the place “Puruṣottama-Viṣṇu’s kṣetra,” the verse implies that approaching Viṣṇu through pilgrimage, remembrance, and reverence at His holy seat is a bhakti-oriented means that culminates in mukti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse highlights pramāṇa (authoritative sourcing) through Purāṇic tradition—how dharma and tīrtha-mahātmyas are validated by received testimony (śrūyate) from learned dvijas and munis, rather than a specific Vedāṅga technique.