Shloka 10

The Tale of the Vulture and the She-Jackal: The Māhātmya of the Saukarava Sacred Field

Devanagari script

किमुच्यते व्रतं चैव शुभं कुब्जाम्रकं महत् ॥ कतरच्छापि तच्छ्रेष्ठं क्षेत्रं भक्तसुखावहम्

Transliteration

kim ucyate vrataṁ caiva śubhaṁ kubjāmrakaṁ mahat || katarac chāpi tac chreṣṭhaṁ kṣetraṁ bhakta-sukhāvaham

Translation

किमुच्यते व्रतं च, शुभं महत् कुब्जाम्रकं च किम्? एतयोः कतरत् श्रेष्ठं क्षेत्रं भक्तसुखावहम्?

Word by Word

• kim: what
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative

• ucyate: is said/called
• ucyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac वच् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• vratam: vow; observance
• vratam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• śubham: auspicious
• śubham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kubjāmrakam: Kubjāmraka (a sacred place)
• kubjāmrakam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kubjā + amraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); proper name of a place/field

• mahat: great
• mahat: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• katarat: which (one)
• katarat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: katara (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); comparative interrogative 'which of the two/which among'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात): 'also/even'

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śreṣṭham: best; excellent
• śreṣṭham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); superlative sense

• kṣetram: field; sacred place
• kṣetram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhakta-sukha-āvaham: bringing happiness to devotees
• bhakta-sukha-āvaham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakta + sukha + āvaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); 'bringing devotees' happiness'

Speaker

Pṛthivī (default dialogue frame; speaker not explicit in excerpt)

Subject Matter

Subject Matter: ["Heritage Sites","Geography","Ethics","Ritual Practice"]

Tags

• Purāṇic Literature
• Sacred Geography
• Vrata Traditions
• Cultural Heritage

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It demonstrates how Purāṇas index religious practice (vrata) alongside place-based heritage (kṣetra), forming a map of cultural geography preserved through narrative inquiry.

Which geographic location is identified?

Kubjāmraka is named as a significant site; the excerpt alone does not provide enough data to securely equate it with a single modern location without further chapter context.

What is the primary ethical instruction?

Prioritizing practices and places framed as promoting communal well-being (bhakta-sukha) rather than private gain.