Shloka 15

Tīrtha-māhātmya and Rudra’s Samanvaya Teaching

Maṅkaṇaka Episode

Devanagari script

धन्यास्तु खलु ते मर्त्या गयायां पिण्डदायिनः / कुलान्युभयतः सप्त समुद्धृत्याप्नुयात् परम्

Transliteration

dhanyāstu khalu te martyā gayāyāṃ piṇḍadāyinaḥ / kulānyubhayataḥ sapta samuddhṛtyāpnuyāt param

Translation

Bem-aventurados, de fato, são os mortais que oferecem piṇḍas em Gayā; tendo elevado sete linhagens de ambos os lados (paterno e materno), alcançam o Estado Supremo.

Word by Word

• धन्याः: blessed
• धन्याः: Visheshya-predicative (विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव; predicate adjective of मर्त्याः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• खलु: surely
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: khalu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता; with मर्त्याः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मर्त्याः: mortals
• मर्त्याः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• गयायाम्: in Gayā
• गयायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/locative), एकवचन

• पिण्ड-दायिनः: offerers of piṇḍas
• पिण्ड-दायिनः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to मर्त्याः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + dāyin (प्रातिपदिक; from √dā with णिनि ‘giver’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (पिण्डं ददाति इति = giver of piṇḍa)

• कुलानि: families/lineages
• कुलानि: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• उभयतः: on both sides
• उभयतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ubhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (adverb: ‘from both sides’)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (विशेषण of कुलानि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषण; कुलानि इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (numeral adjective)

• समुद्धृत्य: having rescued
• समुद्धृत्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam-ud-√hṛ (धातु: हृ ‘to take/raise’) → samuddhṛtya (कृदन्त; ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष gerund)
• Form: ल्यपन्त-अव्यय (gerund): ‘having lifted up/rescued’

• आप्नुयात्: should attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (धातु: आप् ‘to obtain’)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• परम्: the supreme (state)
• परम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म (object: ‘the supreme state’)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages on tīrtha-dharma and śrāddha at Gayā

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Gayā
• Piṇḍa
• Pitṛs (ancestors)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

It frames the “Supreme” (param) as the highest attainable state, reached through dharmic action (piṇḍa-dāna at a powerful tīrtha) that purifies one’s karmic ties and supports liberation-oriented merit.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse emphasizes karma-yoga through pitṛ-yajña (ancestral rites) performed with śraddhā (faith). In the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis, such disciplined dharma supports inner purification that complements meditation and higher yoga.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

While not naming Shiva directly, it reflects the Purana’s integrative stance: liberation is supported by orthodox dharma (tīrtha, śrāddha) taught by Vishnu as Kurma, aligning with the shared Shaiva-Vaishnava emphasis on purification and the supreme goal.