Shloka 60

The Greatness of Gayā

Gayā-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

मुण्डपृष्ठे पदं न्यस्तं महादेवेन धीमता । बहुवर्षशतं तप्तं तपस्तीर्थेषु दुष्करम् ॥ ६० ॥

Transliteration

muṇḍapṛṣṭhe padaṃ nyastaṃ mahādevena dhīmatā | bahuvarṣaśataṃ taptaṃ tapastīrtheṣu duṣkaram || 60 ||

Translation

Ang marunong na Mahādeva ay inilapat ang kanyang paa sa likod ni Muṇḍa; at sa loob ng maraming daang taon ay nagsagawa Siya ng mahigpit at napakahirap na tapasya sa mga banal na tīrtha ng pagninilay at pag-aayuno.

Word by Word

• muṇḍa-pṛṣṭhe: on (the place called) Muṇḍapṛṣṭha
• muṇḍa-pṛṣṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘muṇḍasya pṛṣṭham’ → locative ‘on/at Muṇḍapṛṣṭha’

• padam: a step/footprint
• padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana

• nyastam: placed
• nyastam: Karmaṇi-bhāva (कर्मणि भावः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√as (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta (past passive participle), kta; Napumsaka, Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; agrees with ‘padam’ (placed)

• mahādevena: by Mahādeva (Śiva)
• mahādevena: Kartṛ (कर्ता) / Karaṇa (करण) in passive sense
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahādeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Ekavacana

• dhīmatā: wise
• dhīmatā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of ‘mahādevena’

• bahu-varṣa-śatam: for many hundreds of years
• bahu-varṣa-śatam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (संख्या/परिमाण-निर्देशक) ‘many hundreds of years’ used adverbially as duration

• taptam: performed (as austerity)
• taptam: Karmaṇi-bhāva (कर्मणि भावः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tap (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta (past passive participle), kta; Napumsaka, Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; (tapas) ‘performed/undergone’ implied

• tapas-tīrtheṣu: in the sacred places of austerity
• tapas-tīrtheṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘tapasāṃ tīrthāni’

• duṣkaram: difficult
• duṣkaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; predicate adjective (hard to do)

Speaker

Narada (narrative voice within a Tirtha-Mahatmya description)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva (Shiva)
• Munda

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It emphasizes the extraordinary potency of tapas performed at tapas-tīrthas, showing that even Mahādeva undertakes long, arduous austerities there—highlighting the sanctity and merit (puṇya) of such pilgrimage sites.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

While centered on tapas, it supports Bhakti by presenting disciplined austerity as a devotional offering—an act of steadfast reverence that magnifies spiritual merit when aligned with sacred places and divine intent.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse indirectly reflects Kalpa (ritual discipline) and Dharma-śāstric principles: choosing appropriate tīrthas and undertaking regulated austerities over time, which is central to Purāṇic guidance on pilgrimage and vrata-like observances.