Shloka 33

Vārāṇasī (Avimukta) Māhātmya and the Catalogue of Guhya-Tīrthas

Devanagari script

एवं व्यासं स्थितं ज्ञात्वा क्षेत्रं सेवन्ति पण्डिताः / तस्मात् सर्वप्रयत्नेन वाराणस्यां वसेन्नरः

Transliteration

evaṃ vyāsaṃ sthitaṃ jñātvā kṣetraṃ sevanti paṇḍitāḥ / tasmāt sarvaprayatnena vārāṇasyāṃ vasennaraḥ

Translation

เมื่อรู้ว่าพระวยาสสถิตอยู่ดังนี้ บัณฑิตทั้งหลายจึงบำเพ็ญการรับใช้และสักการะกษेत्रนี้; เพราะฉะนั้นมนุษย์พึงพยายามทุกประการเพื่อพำนัก ณ วาราณสี

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (kriyā-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक

• व्यासम्: Vyāsa
• व्यासम्: कर्म (karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• स्थितम्: standing
• स्थितम्: कर्मविशेषण (qualifier of object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘standing/remaining’ (as object-qualifier)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having known/recognizing’

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred place
• क्षेत्रम्: कर्म (karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सेवन्ति: frequent, resort to
• सेवन्ति: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• पण्डिताः: learned men
• पण्डिताः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: हेतु/न्यायसूचक (reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति निपातवत्; हेत्वर्थे (therefore/from that reason)

• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: करण (karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: सर्वः प्रयत्नः

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: अधिकरण (adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; देशाधिकरण

• वसेत्: should live
• वसेत्: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should dwell’

• नरः: a man
• नरः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s Kashi-ksetra teaching to the sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vyasa
• Varanasi (Kashi)
• Kshetra (tirtha)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: it emphasizes kṣetra-sevā and residence in a sanctified space associated with Vyāsa, implying that proximity to dharma-teaching and purified conduct supports inner realization of the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Not a technique like prāṇāyāma; it highlights preparatory sādhana—kṣetra-sevā (tirtha-service), disciplined residence (vāsa) in a holy place, and association with the wise—supports purity (śuddhi) that undergirds Yoga and devotion.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

By praising Vārāṇasī (a foremost Śaiva kṣetra) within a Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa framework and invoking Vyāsa’s sanctity, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: sacred geography and liberation are upheld across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava traditions.