Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 81

Mārkaṇḍeya-varṇanam

The Description of Mārkaṇḍeya

Devanagari script

शालग्रामे महाक्षेत्रे तताप परमं तपः । ध्यानक्षपितकर्मा तु परं निर्वाणमाप्तवान् ॥ ८१ ॥

Transliteration

śālagrāme mahākṣetre tatāpa paramaṃ tapaḥ | dhyānakṣapitakarmā tu paraṃ nirvāṇamāptavān || 81 ||

Translation

В великой священной области Шалаграма он совершал высочайшую тапасью; и, истощив кармы медитацией, достиг высшего нирваны — окончательного освобождения.

Word by Word

• शालग्रामे: in Śālagrāma
• शालग्रामे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• महा-क्षेत्रे: in the great sacred place
• महा-क्षेत्रे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (great holy field); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• तताप: performed austerity
• तताप: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् तपः

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ध्यान-क्षपित-कर्मा: whose deeds were destroyed by meditation
• ध्यान-क्षपित-कर्मा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षपित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √क्षप्/क्षि ‘to destroy’) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (whose karma is destroyed by meditation); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (implicit subject: मार्कण्डेयः)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/अन्वयार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् निर्वाणम्

• निर्वाणम्: nirvāṇa
• निर्वाणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आप्तवान्: attained
• आप्तवान्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘having attained’

Speaker

Nārada (within the Nārada–Sanatkumāra dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Śālagrāma
• Nirvāṇa

FAQs

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

It presents Śālagrāma as a mahākṣetra where intense tapas combined with dhyāna leads to karma-kṣaya and culminates in supreme nirvāṇa (liberation).

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

While bhakti is not explicitly named, the verse points to Śālagrāma—a major Viṣṇu-associated tīrtha—implying that sacred place, disciplined practice, and inward contemplation support the liberation-oriented current of Viṣṇu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is sādhanā-methodology—tapas and dhyāna as means for reducing karmic residue (karma-kṣaya).