Shloka 15

Tīrtha-Māhātmya: Catalog of Sacred Places and the Supreme Inner Tīrtha

Devanagari script

कोकामुखं च वाराहं भा (भु) ण्डीरं स्वामिसंज्ञकम् / लो (मो) हदण्डे महाविष्णुर्मन्दारे मधुसूदनः

Transliteration

kokāmukhaṃ ca vārāhaṃ bhā (bhu) ṇḍīraṃ svāmisaṃjñakam / lo (mo) hadaṇḍe mahāviṣṇurmandāre madhusūdanaḥ

Translation

कोकामुखे वराहः, भाण्डीरे (भुण्डीरे) स्वामीसंज्ञकः; लोहदण्डे (मोहदण्डे) महाविष्णुः, मन्दारे मधुसूदनः।

Word by Word

• कोकामुखम्: Kokāmukha (holy place)
• कोकामुखम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोकामुख (प्रातिपदिक; कोका + मुख)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वाराहम्: Vārāha (Varāha-related holy place)
• वाराहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराह (प्रातिपदिक; वराह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन (पाठानुसार तीर्थनाम)

• भुण्डीरम्: Bhuṇḍīra (holy place)
• भुण्डीरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुण्डीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन (पाठभेद: भा/भु)

• स्वामिसंज्ञकम्: called “Svāmi”
• स्वामिसंज्ञकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वामिसंज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक; स्वामि + संज्ञक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying भुण्डीरम्)

• हदण्डे: at Hadanda (place-name)
• हदण्डे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हदण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (पाठभेद: लो/मो-हदण्डे)

• महाविष्णुः: Mahāviṣṇu
• महाविष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाविष्णु (प्रातिपदिक; महा + विष्णु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मन्दारे: at Mandāra (place)
• मन्दारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मधुसूदनः: Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu)
• मधुसूदनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुसूदन (प्रातिपदिक; मधु + सूदन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, in a catalogue-style passage)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nāma-rūpa upāsanā: devotion is strengthened by worshiping Viṣṇu through specific forms tied to sacred places.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-brahma upāsanā as a valid means for steadiness of mind; unity of the One expressed as many forms.

Application: During yātrā, chant the local Viṣṇu-nāma, learn the associated avatāra-kathā (e.g., Vārāha), and practice humility/service at each shrine.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: localized kṣetras/tīrthas with specific Viṣṇu-nāma/avatāra associations

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.81 (tīrtha lists and deity-specific kṣetra identifications)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Varaha
• Mahavishnu
• Madhusudana

FAQs

What is the importance of listing Viṣṇu’s names by sacred places in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions as a tīrtha-linked name catalogue: it teaches that the same Supreme Viṣṇu is worshiped in distinct forms and epithets depending on the sacred स्थल (place), guiding pilgrimage and place-specific devotion.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

Indirectly: by emphasizing sacred geography and Viṣṇu-upāsanā, it points to devotion and dharma-based pilgrimage as supports for spiritual merit (puṇya), which the Garuda Purana elsewhere connects to favorable post-death outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate place-based devotion without sectarianism: worship Viṣṇu in whatever traditional name/form is honored locally, and treat pilgrimage/temple practice as a discipline of humility, remembrance, and ethical living.