Shloka 16

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

Devanagari script

कामरूपं महातीर्थं कामाख्या (क्षा) यत्र तिष्ठति / पुण्ड्रवर्धनकं तीर्थं कार्तिकेयश्च यत्र च

Transliteration

kāmarūpaṃ mahātīrthaṃ kāmākhyā (kṣā) yatra tiṣṭhati / puṇḍravardhanakaṃ tīrthaṃ kārtikeyaśca yatra ca

Translation

कामरूपं महातीर्थं यत्र कामाख्या देवी तिष्ठति। पुण्ड्रवर्धनकं तीर्थं यत्र कार्तिकेयः स्थितः॥

Word by Word

• कामरूपम्: Kāmarūpa (place-name)
• कामरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—कामस्य रूपम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• महातीर्थम्: a great sacred ford (great tīrtha)
• महातीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—महच्च तत् तीर्थम् (कर्मधारय)

• कामाख्या: Kāmākhyā (goddess/temple-name)
• कामाख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामाख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative adverb: 'where')

• तिष्ठति: stands/abides
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पुण्ड्रवर्धनकम्: Puṇḍravardhanaka (place-name)
• पुण्ड्रवर्धनकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्ड्रवर्धनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—पुण्ड्रस्य वर्धनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), तद्धितान्त-रूप (क)

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford; pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• कार्तिकेयः: Kārtikeya
• कार्तिकेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिकेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

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

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative adverb: 'where')

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

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (narrating to Garuḍa/Vinātā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-sevā and deity-darśana as a means to accrue puṇya and inner purification.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha (grace) accessed through sacred space; external pilgrimage supporting antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi.

Application: Undertake pilgrimage with restraint and devotion; perform japa/namaskāra and charity at these kṣetras, treating the place as a living presence of the deity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha-region and tīrtha (sacred ford/kshetra)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.81 (tīrtha-kathana sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Kāmarūpa
• Kāmākhyā
• Puṇḍravardhana
• Kārtikeya

FAQs

What is the importance of Kāmarūpa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse marks Kāmarūpa as a mahātīrtha specifically associated with the Goddess Kāmākhyā, emphasizing its sanctity as a pilgrimage destination.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by highlighting tīrthas connected with powerful deities, it supports the Garuda Purana theme that dharma, devotion, and sacred acts (like tīrtha-yātrā) generate puṇya that benefits one’s post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate devotion and ethical living, and if undertaking pilgrimage, do it with reverence and self-discipline—treating sacred sites as places for inner purification rather than mere travel.