Shloka 4

The Glory of Vārāṇasī

Catalogue of Tīrthas and a Liṅga-Installation Episode

Devanagari script

प्राजापत्यं तथा तीर्थं स्वर्गद्वारं तथैव च । जंबुकेश्वरमित्युक्तं धर्माख्यं तीर्थमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

prājāpatyaṃ tathā tīrthaṃ svargadvāraṃ tathaiva ca | jaṃbukeśvaramityuktaṃ dharmākhyaṃ tīrthamuttamam

Translation

ప్రాజాపత్యమనే ఆ తీర్థం ‘స్వర్గద్వారం’ అని కూడా ప్రసిద్ధం. అది ‘జంబుకేశ్వర’మని చెప్పబడింది; ‘ధర్మ’నామంతో ఖ్యాతిగాంచిన ఉత్తమ తీర్థం.

Word by Word

• प्राजापत्यम्: (the tīrtha called) Prājāpatya
• प्राजापत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राजापत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; नाम (proper/epithet)

• तथा: also; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रमसूचक (also/likewise)

• तीर्थम्: sacred ford; pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• स्वर्गद्वारम्: the gate to heaven
• स्वर्गद्वारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वर्गस्य द्वारम्)

• तथा: also; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रमसूचक

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis: indeed/just)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• जम्बुकेश्वरम्: Jambukeśvara (Lord of Jambuka)
• जम्बुकेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जम्बुक (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जम्बुकस्य ईश्वरः)

• इति: thus; as
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-निर्देशक/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative)

• उक्तम्: is said/called
• उक्तम्: Karma (Predicate/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘called/said’

• धर्माख्यम्: named ‘Dharma’
• धर्माख्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धर्म-आख्य = ‘named Dharma’)

• तीर्थम्: tīrtha
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent; best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Unspecified narrator within the Adhyaya (dialogue context not provided in the input)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: तथैव = तथा + एव; जंबुकेश्वरमित्युक्तं = जम्बुकेश्वरम् + इति + उक्तम्; तीर्थमुत्तमम् = तीर्थम् + उत्तमम्; धर्माख्यं = धर्म + आख्यम् (समास/सन्धि)

Characters & Entities

• Prājāpatya-tīrtha
• Svargadvāra
• Jambukeśvara
• Dharma (as a tīrtha-name)

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the geography of sacred tīrthas?

It preserves multiple traditional names for a single pilgrimage site—Prājāpatya, Svargadvāra, Jambukeśvara, and Dharma—showing how tīrthas are mapped through layered epithets, local cults, and theological associations.

How does this verse emphasize the path of Bhakti?

By presenting the tīrtha as ‘Svargadvāra’ and ‘uttama’, it frames pilgrimage and devotion at a named sacred place (here associated with Jambukeśvara/Śiva) as a potent, grace-filled means toward higher spiritual attainments.

What is the ethical lesson from this dialogue?

The tīrtha being called ‘Dharma’ suggests that sacred travel is not merely ritual; it should be aligned with righteousness—right conduct, purity of intention, and reverence—so that the pilgrimage becomes a lived practice of dharma.