Shloka 21

Pulastya’s Tīrtha Enumeration: Sarasvatī, Naimiṣa, Gayā, and Associated Phalaśruti

Chapter 82

Devanagari script

दशकोटिसहस््राणि तीर्थानां वै महामते । सांनिध्य॑ पुष्करे येषां त्रिसंध्यं कुरुनन्दन

Transliteration

daśa-koṭi-sahasrāṇi tīrthānāṃ vai mahā-mate | sānnidhyaṃ puṣkare yeṣāṃ tri-saṃdhyaṃ kuru-nandana ||

Translation

மகாமதியே! தீர்த்தங்கள் பத்துக் கோடி ஆயிரங்கள் உள்ளன; ஆனால் அவற்றின் சன்னிதி புஷ்கரத்தில் ஒன்றுகூடியுள்ளது—குருநந்தனே—அங்கே மூன்று சந்திக் காலங்களிலும் விதிகளைச் செய்தால் பல தீர்த்தங்களின் சேர்க்கைப் புண்ணியம் கிடைக்கும்.

Word by Word

दशकोटिसहस्राणिten-crore-thousands (i.e., countless tens of millions)

तीर्थानाम्of pilgrimage-places

वैindeed

महामतेO great-minded one

सान्निध्यम्presence, proximity

पुष्करेin Pushkara

येषाम्of which

त्रिसन्ध्यम्at the three junctions (three times a day)

कुरुनन्दनO delight of the Kurus

Speaker

घुलस्त्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Puṣkara

tīrtha (pilgrimage sites)

tri-saṃdhyā (three daily sandhyā times)

Kuru-nandana (address to a Kuru prince)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that disciplined daily observance—especially worship at the three sandhyā times—can concentrate spiritual benefit, and that certain tīrthas like Puṣkara are revered as gathering the sanctity of many pilgrimage places.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker praises the greatness of Puṣkara within a tīrtha-mahātmya context, telling a Kuru prince that although countless tīrthas exist, Puṣkara uniquely embodies their sacred presence, particularly for one who performs tri-sandhyā rites there.