Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Tirtha Circuit, Shloka 22

Prahlada’s Pilgrimage Circuit: Tirtha-Mahatmya from Naimisha to Rudrakoti and Shalagrama

Devanagari script

तत्रातिहृष्टो वसति नित्यं शर्वः सहोमया वृतः प्रमथकोटीभिर्बहुभिस्त्रिदशार्चितः

Transliteration

tatrātihṛṣṭo vasati nityaṃ śarvaḥ sahomayā vṛtaḥ pramathakoṭībhirbahubhistridaśārcitaḥ

Translation

{"has_teaching": true, "teaching_type": "bhakti", "core_concept": "śaraṇāgati to the akṣara Bhagavān who governs guṇas yet transcends them", "teaching_summary": "The Lord is imperishable, lotus-eyed, the ultimate refuge; devotion culminates in taking shelter in the bhakta-vatsala who oversees guṇas without being bound by them.", "vedantic_theme": "nirguṇa/saguṇa integration; īśvara as guṇādhyakṣa and akṣara; prapatti as direct means", "practical_application": "Cultivate daily refuge-prayer (prapadye/śaraṇaṃ) with remembrance of the Lord’s bhakta-vātsalya, especially during fear or moral uncertainty."}

Word by Word

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Speakers

• (Contextual narration within Adhyaya 57; speaker not explicit in provided excerpt—likely a sage narrating a tirtha’s greatness to a listener such as Nārada)

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Śarva)
• Uma (Pārvatī)

Key Themes

• Tirtha Mahima
• Śiva’s perpetual residence in a kṣetra
• Divine attendance (gaṇas/Pramathas)
• Deva-worship of Śiva
• Śaiva sacred topography

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

Why does the verse stress ‘nityaṃ vasati’ (dwells perpetually) in a tirtha context?

In Purāṇic kṣetra-māhātmya, ‘perpetual residence’ marks a site as permanently charged with divine presence (sannidhāna). It implies that worship there yields results not dependent on rare cosmic timings, because the deity’s grace is continuously accessible.

Who are the ‘Pramathas’ and why are they mentioned in such large numbers?

Pramathas are Śiva’s gaṇas—fierce, liminal attendants associated with cremation-grounds and boundary-spaces. ‘Crores’ is a Purāṇic intensifier indicating the overwhelming, protective, and awe-inspiring retinue that characterizes a major Śaiva kṣetra.

What does ‘tridaśārcitaḥ’ add to the portrayal of the place?

If even the gods worship Śiva here, the site is elevated above ordinary pilgrimage spots. The phrase functions as a theological credential: the kṣetra is validated by divine precedent, encouraging human pilgrims to emulate the devas’ worship.