Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

केदारं सर्वपापघ्नं स (श) म्भलग्राम उत्तमः / नरनरायणं तीर्थं मुक्त्यै वदरिकाश्रमः

Transliteration

kedāraṃ sarvapāpaghnaṃ sa (śa) mbhalagrāma uttamaḥ / naranarāyaṇaṃ tīrthaṃ muktyai vadarikāśramaḥ

Translation

เกดาระเป็นสถานที่ขจัดบาปทั้งปวง; หมู่บ้านศัมภละเลิศยิ่ง. ตีรถะนร-นารายณะและพทริกาศรมเป็นหนทางสู่โมกษะ.

Word by Word

• केदारम्: Kedāra (holy place)
• केदारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केदार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• सर्वपापघ्नम्: destroyer of all sins
• सर्वपापघ्नम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + पाप + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक; घ्न = √हन् (धातु) से निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (केदारम्)

• सम्भलग्रामः: Sambhala village
• सम्भलग्रामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्भल + ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• उत्तमः: excellent, supreme
• उत्तमः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (सम्भलग्रामः)

• नरनरायणम्: Nara-Nārāyaṇa (holy place/deity)
• नरनरायणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तीर्थम्: pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Apposition/Viśeṣya (Identificational)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अपादान/उपपद-सम्बन्धेन ‘नरनरायणम्’ इत्यस्य विशेष्यभावे

• मुक्त्यै: for liberation
• मुक्त्यै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of)

• वदरिकाश्रमः: Badarikā-āśrama
• वदरिकाश्रमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदरी + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinatā-putra in the Garuḍa Purāṇa dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-sevā/smaraṇa and kṣetra-mahātmyā as means for pāpa-kṣaya and mokṣa-sādhana.

Vedantic Theme: Sādhana through śuddhi (pāpa-kṣaya) leading to adhikāritva for jñāna/bhakti; grace mediated via sacred space (kṣetra).

Application: Undertake pilgrimage or daily remembrance of these kṣetras; cultivate vrata, japa, and sattvic conduct while visiting; dedicate merit to liberation-oriented intent.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha-kṣetra / āśrama (Himalayan pilgrimage complex)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (tīrtha-mahātmyā sections in Pūrvakhaṇḍa); Garuda Purana: recurring praise of Badarikāśrama and Nara-Nārāyaṇa as mokṣa-kṣetra (general internal motif)

Characters & Entities

• Kedāra
• Śambhala-grāma
• Nara-Nārāyaṇa
• Badrikāśrama

FAQs

What is the importance of Kedāra in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse praises Kedāra as “sarva-pāpa-ghna,” a pilgrimage site believed to destroy all sins, highlighting tīrtha-yātrā as a dharmic means of purification.

How does this verse relate to the path toward mokṣa?

It links specific sacred sites—especially Nara-Nārāyaṇa tīrtha and Badarikāśrama—with “muktyai” (for liberation), presenting pilgrimage and sanctified association as supports for spiritual release.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Cultivate inner pilgrimage: pursue purification (ethical living, repentance, sādhana) and, when possible, visit or reverently remember such tīrthas with a sincere intention toward self-transformation and liberation.