Shloka 72

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

Devanagari script

कार्तिकस्य तु मासस्य कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दशी / घृतेन स्नापयेद् देवमुपोष्य परमेश्वरम् / एकविंशत्कुलोपेतो न च्यवेदैश्वरात् पदात्

Transliteration

kārtikasya tu māsasya kṛṣṇapakṣe caturdaśī / ghṛtena snāpayed devamupoṣya parameśvaram / ekaviṃśatkulopeto na cyavedaiśvarāt padāt

Translation

Vào ngày mười bốn (caturdaśī) của nửa tháng tối trong tháng Kārtika, sau khi giữ chay (upavāsa), nên tắm rưới Đức Parameśvara bằng bơ tinh khiết (ghee). Nhờ công đức nâng đỡ hai mươi mốt đời trong dòng tộc, người ấy không rơi khỏi địa vị uy quyền thiêng liêng (aiśvarya).

Word by Word

• kārtikasya: of (the month) Kārtika
• kārtikasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) — 'of Kārtika (month)'

• tu: indeed/and/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय — emphasis/contrast

• māsasya: of the month
• māsasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग — 'of the month'

• kṛṣṇa-pakṣe: in the dark fortnight
• kṛṣṇa-pakṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग — तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) 'in the dark fortnight'

• caturdaśī: (on) the fourteenth lunar day
• caturdaśī: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturdaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग — lunar day name

• ghṛtena: with ghee
• ghṛtena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग — 'with ghee'

• snāpayet: should bathe (cause to bathe)
• snāpayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: snā (धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — causative 'should cause to bathe'

• devam: the deity
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग — object

• upoṣya: having fasted
• upoṣya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-vas (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव — 'having fasted'

• parameśvaram: the Supreme Lord
• parameśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग — कर्मधारयः 'the supreme Lord' (apposition to devam)

• ekaviṃśat-kula-upetaḥ: endowed with twenty-one families
• ekaviṃśat-kula-upetaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekaviṃśat (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + kula (प्रातिपदिक) + upeta (कृदन्त, √i/upa-i)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग — तत्पुरुष-समासः; 'endowed with twenty-one lineages/families' (upetaḥ = past participle)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• cyavet: should fall away
• cyavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cyu (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — 'should fall/move away'

• aiśvarāt: from (divine) sovereignty
• aiśvarāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग — 'from lordly/divine'

• padāt: from the status/position
• padāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग — 'from the position/state'

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s vrata-instructions as taught in the tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvara
• Kārtika (month)
• Caturdaśī
• Upavāsa
• Ghṛta (ghee)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames the Supreme as Parameśvara, approached through disciplined vrata (fasting and ritual purity), implying that inner steadiness and devotion to the Lord support enduring spiritual sovereignty rather than decline.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes vrata-sādhana—upavāsa (sense-restraint and austerity) coupled with pūjā/abhiṣeka (ghṛta-snāna). In Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-tinged discipline, such regulated observances function as preparatory tapas that stabilizes the mind for higher yogic absorption.

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

By using the supreme title “Parameśvara” within a Purāṇic setting that frequently harmonizes sectarian forms, the teaching treats devotion to the Supreme Lord as primary—consistent with Kurma Purana’s synthesis where Śiva-worship and Viṣṇu’s overarching divinity are not mutually exclusive.