Shloka 15

Puruṣottama-māhātmya

The Greatness of Puruṣottama Kṣetra

Devanagari script

तथा समस्ततीर्थानां वरिष्ठं पुरुषोत्तमम् । सेनानीनां यथा स्कंदः सिद्धानां कपिलो यथा ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

tathā samastatīrthānāṃ variṣṭhaṃ puruṣottamam | senānīnāṃ yathā skaṃdaḥ siddhānāṃ kapilo yathā || 15 ||

Translation

అలాగే సమస్త తీర్థములలో పురుషోత్తమము అత్యుత్తమము; సేనానులలో స్కందుడు యథా అగ్రుడో, సిద్ధులలో కపిలుడు యథా శ్రేష్ఠుడో అలాగే।

Word by Word

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Discourse connector (सम्बन्ध-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (अन्वय-अव्यय)

• samasta-tīrthānām: of all pilgrimage places
• samasta-tīrthānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samasta (प्रातिपदिक) + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारयः—समस्तानि तीर्थानि

• variṣṭham: the most excellent
• variṣṭham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: variṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1/2 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन); superlative (इष्ठ)

• puruṣa-uttamam: Puruṣottama
• puruṣa-uttamam: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1/2 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—पुरुषेषु उत्तमः (Puruṣottama)

• senānīnām: of the commanders
• senānīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: senānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• yathā: as/like
• yathā: Upamāna-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; comparative particle (उपमा-अव्यय)

• skandaḥ: Skanda (Kārttikeya)
• skandaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• siddhānām: of the Siddhas
• siddhānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kapilaḥ: Kapila
• kapilaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā: as/like
• yathā: Upamāna-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; comparative particle (उपमा-अव्यय)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣottama (Vishnu)
• Skanda (Kārttikeya)
• Kapila

FAQs

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

It teaches a hierarchy of sacredness: beyond all external pilgrimage sites, the highest “tīrtha” is Puruṣottama (Vishnu) Himself—implying that devotion and surrender to Vishnu is the supreme purifier.

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

By declaring Puruṣottama the foremost among all tīrthas, the verse redirects religious merit from mere travel/ritual toward bhakti-centered remembrance and worship of Vishnu as the highest spiritual practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught directly; the practical takeaway is hermeneutic—using analogical ranking (upamā) to interpret tīrtha-mahātmya as ultimately pointing to Vishnu as the supreme refuge.