Shloka 23

The Description of Kāśī (Kāśī-māhātmya): Avimukta, Kapālamocana, and Śiva’s Purification

Devanagari script

तस्मान्नैकत्र भवता स्थेयं द्वादशबत्सरम् । अटनीयं हितार्थाय पापनाशाभिकाम्यया ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

tasmānnaikatra bhavatā stheyaṃ dvādaśabatsaram | aṭanīyaṃ hitārthāya pāpanāśābhikāmyayā || 23 ||

Translation

కాబట్టి నీవు పన్నెండు సంవత్సరాలు ఒకే చోట నిలువకూడదు. స్వహితార్థం, పాపనాశాభిలాషతో దేశదేశాలు తిరుగవలెను।

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya); अपादानार्थक-निपातः/तस्मात् = ‘therefore/from that’ (ablatival adverbial use)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• एकत्र: in one place
• एकत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; honorific ‘by you’

• स्थेयम्: should be stayed (should remain)
• स्थेयम्: Vidhi (विधि/Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘ought to be stayed’

• द्वादशवत्सरम्: for twelve years
• द्वादशवत्सरम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Time-extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश + वत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (duration)

• अटनीयम्: one should wander
• अटनीयम्: Vidhi (विधि/Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अट् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य (अनीयर्) gerundive/obligative, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘should be wandered’ (= one should wander)

• हितार्थाय: for (one’s) welfare/purpose
• हितार्थाय: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (हितस्य अर्थः); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; प्रयोजन-द्योतक

• पापनाशाभिकाम्यया: with the wish to destroy sin
• पापनाशाभिकाम्यया: Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + नाश + अभिकाम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पापस्य नाशः; तदभिकाम्या); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ‘with the desire for destruction of sin’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahātmya context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It presents pilgrimage and purposeful wandering (aṭana) as a dharmic discipline aimed at inner welfare (hita) and the removal of pāpa, rather than complacent attachment to one location.

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

By urging travel for purification, it supports bhakti indirectly: a purified life and contact with sacred places and practices strengthen single-pointed devotion and reduce obstacles created by pāpa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse primarily emphasizes dharma and prayāścitta through tirtha-yātrā; it does not directly teach a Vedāṅga topic like vyākaraṇa or jyotiṣa, but it reflects applied ritual-dharma (proper conduct for purification).