Shloka 30

Tīrtha-Māhātmya: Catalog of Sacred Places and the Supreme Inner Tīrtha

Devanagari script

स्नात्वा कनखले तीर्थे स भवेन्न पुनर्भवे / सू उवाच / एतान्यन्यानि तीर्थानि स्नानाद्यैः सर्वदानि हि

Transliteration

snātvā kanakhale tīrthe sa bhavenna punarbhave / sū uvāca / etānyanyāni tīrthāni snānādyaiḥ sarvadāni hi

Translation

ผู้ใดอาบน้ำ ณตีรถะกนขละ ย่อมไม่กลับเข้าสู่การเกิดใหม่อีก สุทากล่าวว่า—ตีรถะเหล่านี้และที่อื่น ๆ ล้วนประทานผลเสมอ ด้วยการอาบน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์และพิธีกรรมเป็นต้น

Word by Word

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having bathed’

• कनखले: at Kanakhala
• कनखले: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनखल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; स्थान-नाम

• तीर्थे: in the tīrtha
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become; would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• पुनर्भवे: in rebirth; in repeated becoming
• पुनर्भवे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुनः + भव (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (पुनः भवः = पुनर्भवः ‘rebirth’)

• सूः: Sūta
• सूः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सूत-नाम (Sūta)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• अन्यानि: other
• अन्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तीर्थानि: tīrthas; sacred places
• तीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• स्नानाद्यैः: by bathing and the like
• स्नानाद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान + आदि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; आदि-समास/तत्पुरुष (स्नानम् आदि यस्य/येषाम्)

• सर्वदानि: all-giving; granting all (boons)
• सर्वदानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + दान (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (सर्वाणि दानानि/सर्वदा-इति पाठे अव्यय)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/हेतु-निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-snāna at Kanakhala is extolled as a cause for freedom from punarbhava; tīrthas grant merit through prescribed acts.

Vedantic Theme: Chitta-śuddhi leading toward mokṣa; sacred action as preparatory means (sādhana) when aligned with faith and right intent.

Application: Use pilgrimage as a disciplined vow: bathe with mantra, practice charity, restraint, and remembrance; interpret ‘no rebirth’ as the culmination of purified life oriented to liberation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha (river ford/ghat)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.81 (Kanakhala/Haridwar tīrtha-phala statements; Sūta narration)

Characters & Entities

• Kanakhala
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the importance of Kanakhala Tirtha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that bathing at Kanakhala is so meritorious that it is praised as leading to freedom from rebirth, highlighting Kanakhala as an exceptionally potent tīrtha.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By linking tīrtha-bathing with the cessation of punarbhava (rebirth), the verse presents ritual purity and sacred observance as supportive causes for liberation-oriented merit in the soul’s journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach pilgrimages and sacred baths with ethical discipline and sincere intention, treating them as occasions for purification, charity, and recommitment to dharma.