Shloka 14

Narmadā Māhātmya with the Praise of Amarakantaka Tīrthas

Devanagari script

तत्र स्नात्वा शुचिर्भूत्वा ब्रह्मचारी जितेंद्रियः । पितृकार्यं तु कुर्वीत विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा

Transliteration

tatra snātvā śucirbhūtvā brahmacārī jiteṃdriyaḥ | pitṛkāryaṃ tu kurvīta vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā

Translation

وہاں غسل کر کے پاکیزہ ہو، برہماچاری اور ضبطِ نفس والا بن کر، درست قاعدے کے مطابق مقررہ عمل سے پِتروں کے لیے رسومات ادا کرے۔

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Kriyā (क्रिया/Non-finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √snā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• śuciḥ: pure
• śuciḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.)

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Kriyā (क्रिया/Non-finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• brahmacārī: a celibate student (brahmacārin)
• brahmacārī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + cārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुष: ‘ब्रह्मणि चरति’/‘ब्रह्मचर्यं आचरति’

• jita-indriyaḥ: one who has conquered the senses
• jita-indriyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita (कृदन्त; √ji जि जय) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.); बहुव्रीहि: ‘जितानि इन्द्रियाणि यस्य सः’

• pitṛ-kāryam: the rite/duty for the ancestors
• pitṛ-kāryam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुष: ‘पितॄणां कार्यम्’

• tu: indeed, then
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोध/अन्वयार्थक (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• kurvīta: should perform
• kurvīta: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (sg.), आत्मनेपद

• vidhi-dṛṣṭena: as prescribed by rule
• vidhi-dṛṣṭena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument or means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त; √dṛś दृश्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (n./m.), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुष: ‘विधिना दृष्टः’ = ‘enjoined by rule’

• karmaṇā: by the act/ritual
• karmaṇā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (sg.)

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within Svargakhaṇḍa context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: śucir-bhūtvā → śuciḥ bhūtvā; jiteṃdriyaḥ → jita-indriyaḥ; pitṛkāryaṃ → pitṛ-kāryam.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

Why does the verse emphasize bathing and purity before performing ancestral rites?

It frames śauca (ritual and inner purity) as a prerequisite for pitṛkarman, indicating that ancestral offerings should be done from a purified state after snāna.

What does 'brahmacārī jitendriyaḥ' imply in this context?

It implies disciplined conduct—celibacy and control of the senses—so that the rite is performed with restraint, focus, and ethical integrity.

What is the ethical lesson conveyed by 'vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā'?

It teaches adherence to proper procedure and scriptural injunctions: duties, especially sacred ones like honoring ancestors, should be performed correctly rather than casually or improvised.