Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 27

The Glory of Guru-Tīrtha: The Guru as Supreme Pilgrimage

Prelude: Cyavana and the Parable Cycle

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मेशं कपिलेशं च मार्कंडेश्वरमुत्तमम् । एवं यात्रां ततः कृत्वा ओंकारं समुपागतः

Transliteration

brahmeśaṃ kapileśaṃ ca mārkaṃḍeśvaramuttamam | evaṃ yātrāṃ tataḥ kṛtvā oṃkāraṃ samupāgataḥ

Translation

एवं ब्रह्मेशं कपिलेशं चोत्तमं मार्कण्डेश्वरं च सम्यगर्चयित्वा, यात्रां समाप्य ततः परं ओंकारं समुपागतः।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मेशम्: Brahmeśa
• ब्रह्मेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (‘ब्रह्मणः ईश्वरः’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• कपिलेशम्: Kapileśa
• कपिलेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (‘कपिलस्य ईश्वरः’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

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

• मार्कंडेश्वरम्: Mārkaṇḍeśvara
• मार्कंडेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (‘मार्कण्डेयस्य ईश्वरः’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying मार्कंडेश्वरम्)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (manner adverb)

• यात्राम्: pilgrimage
• यात्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अपादानार्थ (‘thereafter/from there’)

• कृत्वा: having done/completed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• ओंकारम्: Oṃkāra (sacred place/name)
• ओंकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• समुपागतः: approached/arrived
• समुपागतः: Kriya (Verbal predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप + गम् (धातु) → समुपागत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृत — ‘having approached/arrived’

Speaker

Unspecified in the provided excerpt (narratorial voice within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue frame).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: मार्कंडेश्वरमुत्तमम् = मार्कण्डेश्वरम् + उत्तमम्; समुपागतः = सम् + उपागतः (उप + गम् → उपागत)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmeśa
• Kapileśa
• Mārkaṇḍeśvara
• Oṁkāra (Omkāreśvara)

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the geography of sacred Tīrthas?

It presents a sequential itinerary of Śaiva sacred sites—Brahmeśa, Kapileśa, Mārkaṇḍeśvara—culminating at Oṁkāra, indicating that the text maps holiness through a connected pilgrimage route rather than a single isolated shrine.

How does this verse emphasize the path of Bhakti?

Bhakti is expressed here as devotional movement—physically undertaking yātrā and seeking darśana of revered forms of Śiva—where repeated visitation and completion of the journey becomes an act of sustained devotion.

What is the ethical lesson from this dialogue?

The verse underscores perseverance and religious discipline: sacred goals are reached by completing duties step-by-step (visiting each tīrtha in order) and maintaining focus until the intended spiritual destination (Oṁkāra) is attained.