Shloka 24

The Greatness of Kāśī (Avimukta): Pilgrimage Calendar, Yātrā-Dharma, and the Network of Śiva-Liṅgas

Devanagari script

ऊर्द्ध्वकेशीसमायुक्ताशांकरी पूर्वतः स्मृता । अधः केशी तथाग्नेय्यां चित्रघंटा च मध्यतः ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

ūrddhvakeśīsamāyuktāśāṃkarī pūrvataḥ smṛtā | adhaḥ keśī tathāgneyyāṃ citraghaṃṭā ca madhyataḥ || 24 ||

Translation

తూర్పున ఊర్ధ్వకేశీ రూపంతో శాంకరీ స్మరించబడుతుంది; ఆగ్నేయంలో అధఃకేశీ, మధ్యలో చిత్రఘంటా స్థితి చెందుతుంది.

Word by Word

• ऊर्द्ध्वकेशीसमायुक्ताः: joined with (the form of) ‘upright-haired’
• ऊर्द्ध्वकेशीसमायुक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + केशी (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्-युक्त (√युज् धातु; क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः (ऊर्ध्वकेशीभिः समायुक्ताः) — तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासभावः; विशेषण (qualifying the goddesses)

• शांकरी: Śāṅkarī
• शांकरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक) + ङीष् (स्त्रीप्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पूर्वतः: in the east
• पूर्वतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: दिक्-प्रवृत्त्यर्थक अव्यय (from/in the east)

• स्मृता: is said/remembered (as)
• स्मृता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘is remembered/considered’

• अधः: below
• अधः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानार्थक अव्यय (below/downwards)

• केशी: Keśī
• केशी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक अव्यय (likewise/also)

• आग्नेय्याम्: in the southeast
• आग्नेय्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आग्नेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (southeast direction)

• चित्रघंटा: Citraghaṇṭā
• चित्रघंटा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (चित्रा या सा घण्टा)

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

• मध्यतः: in the middle
• मध्यतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मध्यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानार्थक अव्यय (in the middle/centrally)

Speaker

Narada (narrating/teaching within a tirtha-mahatmya description)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Śāṃkarī
• Ūrddhvakeśī
• Adhaḥkeśī
• Citraghaṇṭā
• Agni (directional deity implied by āgneyyām)

FAQs

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

It encodes sacred spatial order: specific Śakti-forms are assigned to precise directions and the center, indicating that worship is harmonized with cosmic orientation (dik-krama) to preserve ritual correctness and spiritual efficacy.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through disciplined, form-specific worship—remembering (smṛti) the deity’s name, form, and placement—so devotion becomes structured seva aligned to the deity’s prescribed manifestations.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual science—directional rules used in worship and installation (akin to kalpa/ritual procedure and traditional spatial injunctions), specifying east, the Agni quarter (south‑east), and the central position for particular divine forms.