Shloka 21

Narmadā–Tīrtha-Māhātmya: Sequence of Sacred Fords and Their Fruits

Devanagari script

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र पिङ्गलेश्वरमुत्तमम् / अहोरात्रोपवासेन त्रिरात्रफलमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

tato gaccheta rājendra piṅgaleśvaramuttamam / ahorātropavāsena trirātraphalamāpnuyāt

Translation

แล้วแต่บัดนั้น ข้าแต่พระราชาผู้ประเสริฐ พึงเสด็จไปยังเทวสถานอันสูงสุดของปิงคเลศวร เมื่อถืออุโบสถอดอาหารตลอดวันคืน ณ ที่นั้น ย่อมได้บุญเทียบเท่าพรตสามราตรี.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — ‘thereafter’

• गच्छेत: should go
• गच्छेत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (राज्ञाम् इन्द्रः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• पिङ्गलेश्वरम्: Piṅgaleśvara
• पिङ्गलेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṅgala + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent, supreme
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पिङ्गलेश्वरम्)

• अहोरात्रोपवासेन: by a day-and-night fast
• अहोरात्रोपवासेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahaḥ + rātra + upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अहोरात्रस्य उपवासः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• त्रिरात्रफलम्: the fruit of a three-night (rite/fast)
• त्रिरात्रफलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri + rātra + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (त्रिरात्रस्य फलम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• आप्नुयात्: would obtain, should attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator/Sage instructing the king (tirtha-mahātmya instruction addressed to a royal hearer)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Piṅgaleśvara
• Īśvara (Śiva)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes disciplined restraint (upavāsa) and sacred approach (tīrtha) as purifying supports for realizing the higher reality, rather than offering a direct metaphysical definition of Ātman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Austerity through upavāsa (fasting) is highlighted as a preparatory niyama-like discipline that concentrates the mind, supports vow-based practice (vrata), and amplifies spiritual merit at a consecrated Śaiva tīrtha.

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

By placing salvific merit in devotion to a Śiva-linga shrine within the Kurma Purana’s broader Vaiṣṇava framework, it reflects the text’s integrative Shaiva–Vaishnava ethos: worship of Īśvara is upheld as fully auspicious within the Purāṇic unity of dharma.