Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

अवंतिकारोहतिकं तथा सन्निहितं सरः । वारप्रवृत्तिवाग्देशे क्षयार्द्धेभ्यधिको भवेत् ॥ ८७ ॥

Transliteration

avaṃtikārohatikaṃ tathā sannihitaṃ saraḥ | vārapravṛttivāgdeśe kṣayārddhebhyadhiko bhavet || 87 ||

Translation

అవంతికా-రోహతిక తీర్థం మరియు సమీపంలోని పవిత్ర సరస్సు—‘వార-ప్రవృత్తి-వాగ్దేశ’ అనే స్థలంలో దర్శించినప్పుడు—క్షయపక్ష ప్రాయశ్చిత్తాలకన్నా అధిక పుణ్యప్రదమని చెప్పబడింది॥

Word by Word

• अवंतिका-रोहतिकम्: Avantikā-rohatika (a named point/measure)
• अवंतिका-रोहतिकम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोहतिक (प्रातिपदिक) with अवंतिका
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: अवंतिका (Avantikā) + रोहतिक (name/technical term)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; manner-adverb

• सन्निहितम्: situated/placed
• सन्निहितम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्निहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्+नि+धा धातु/नि+धा)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (placed/located)

• सरः: lake
• सरः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• वार-प्रवृत्ति-वाक्-देशे: in the region of time/occurrence and speech (named region)
• वार-प्रवृत्ति-वाक्-देशे: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक) with वार + प्रवृत्ति + वाक्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: वार (time/turn) + प्रवृत्ति (occurrence) + वाक् (speech) + देश (region)

• क्षय-अर्द्धेभ्यः: from the halves of decrease
• क्षय-अर्द्धेभ्यः: अपादान (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक) with क्षय
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: क्षय (decrease) + अर्द्ध (half)

• अधिकः: greater/exceeding
• अधिकः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; comparative sense ‘greater’

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Avantika
• Saraḥ (sacred lake)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It elevates tīrtha-yātrā—especially to a named sacred site and its adjacent lake—as a powerful means of accruing puṇya, even surpassing common expiatory observances tied to lunar timing.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

While not explicitly naming a deity here, the verse supports bhakti-oriented practice by valuing pilgrimage and reverent approach to sacred geography—acts typically performed with remembrance, worship, and surrender that purify the mind toward mokṣa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implicitly uses calendrical/lunar discipline (jyotiṣa-based timing such as the waning half of the month) to compare religious efficacy, showing how ritual time-reckoning informs dharma and prayāścitta.