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Shloka 1

Tīrtha-Māhātmya: Catalog of Sacred Places and the Supreme Inner Tīrtha

Devanagari script

नामाशीतितमो ऽध्यायः (इति रत्नमुक्तादि परीक्षा समाप्ता ) / (अथ तीर्थक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यमारभ्यते ) / सूत उवाच / सर्वतीर्थानि वक्ष्यामि गङ्गा तीर्थोत्तमोत्तमा / सर्वत्र सुलभा गङ्गात्रिषु स्थानेषु दुर्लभा

Transliteration

nāmāśītitamo 'dhyāyaḥ (iti ratnamuktādi parīkṣā samāptā ) / (atha tīrthakṣetramāhātmyamārabhyate ) / sūta uvāca / sarvatīrthāni vakṣyāmi gaṅgā tīrthottamottamā / sarvatra sulabhā gaṅgātriṣu sthāneṣu durlabhā

Translation

由此开启第八十一章（至此，关于宝石、珍珠等的考察已毕）。现在开始宣说诸圣渡（tīrtha）与圣地（kṣetra）的伟大功德。苏多（Sūta）说道：“我将讲述一切圣渡；其中，恒河（Gaṅgā）为至上中的至上。恒河在各处似乎易得，然而在三处住处却难以亲近。”

Word by Word
nāmaname/title
nāma:
Sambandha (Heading/Label)
TypeNoun
Rootnāman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular); शीर्षक-निर्देशार्थम् (as a heading/label)
aśītitamaḥeightieth
aśītitamaḥ:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootaśīti + tama (प्रातिपदिक; तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (masc. nominative singular; ordinal adjective)
adhyāyaḥchapter
adhyāyaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootadhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc. nominative singular)
itithus
iti:
Sambandha (Quotation marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative/closure particle)
ratna-muktā-ādi(of) gems, pearls, etc.
ratna-muktā-ādi:
Visheshya (Qualifier to parīkṣā)
TypeNoun
Rootratna + muktā + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आदि-समास/समाहार) (neuter nominative singular; ‘gems, pearls, etc.’)
parīkṣāexamination
parīkṣā:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootparīkṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (fem. nominative singular)
samāptācompleted
samāptā:
Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Rootsam-āp (धातु) + kta (कृत्) → samāpta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भावे (fem. nominative singular; past passive participle ‘completed’)
athanow/then
atha:
Sambandha (Discourse marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootatha (अव्यय)
Formआरम्भसूचक अव्यय (inceptive particle)
tīrtha-kṣetra-māhātmyamthe greatness of sacred pilgrimage-places
tīrtha-kṣetra-māhātmyam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottīrtha + kṣetra + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (neuter nom./acc. singular; ‘the greatness of pilgrimage-places/holy fields’)
ārabhyateis begun
ārabhyate:
Kriya (Action)
TypeVerb
Rootā-√rabh (रभ्, धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (present indicative, 3rd sg, middle; passive sense ‘is begun’)
sūtaḥSūta
sūtaḥ:
Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsūta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc. nominative singular)
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriya (Speech act)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (वच्, धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (perfect, 3rd sg, active)
sarva-tīrthāniall sacred fords/pilgrimage places
sarva-tīrthāni:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsarva + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘all’ + ‘pilgrimages’) (neuter accusative plural)
vakṣyāmiI shall describe
vakṣyāmi:
Kriya (Action)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (वच्, धातु)
Formलृट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (simple future, 1st sg, active)
gaṅgāGaṅgā
gaṅgā:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootgaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (fem. nominative singular)
tīrtha-uttama-uttamāthe best of the best among holy places
tīrtha-uttama-uttamā:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Roottīrtha + uttama + uttamā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः/उपपद-समासः (‘best among sacred places, the best’) (fem. nominative singular)
sarvatraeverywhere
sarvatra:
Adhikarana (Locative sense)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsarvatra (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)
sulabhāeasily obtainable
sulabhā:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootsu-labha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (fem. nominative singular)
gaṅgāGaṅgā
gaṅgā:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootgaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (fem. nominative singular)
triṣuin three
triṣu:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Roottri (प्रातिपदिक)
Formत्रिलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (locative plural; numeral adjective)
sthāneṣuplaces
sthāneṣu:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootsthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (neuter locative plural)
durlabhāhard to obtain/rare
durlabhā:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootdur-labha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (fem. nominative singular)
Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-sevā and Gaṅgā-smaraṇa as a privileged means of purification and merit; sacred geography as a conduit of grace.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha mediated through nāma/tīrtha; purity (śuddhi) as support for jñāna/bhakti leading toward mokṣa.

Application: Cultivate Gaṅgā-reverence (snāna, darśana, smaraṇa) and plan pilgrimage with discernment for especially potent stations; keep a daily remembrance of Gaṅgā as purifier.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: river/tīrtha-network

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: transition from ratna-parīkṣā (gem examination) to tīrtha-kṣetra-māhātmya (chapter opening); Garuda Purana: later tīrtha listings and phala-śruti passages in the same section

Characters & Entities
G
Gaṅgā
S
Sūta

FAQs

This verse declares the Gaṅgā as “tīrthottamottamā”—the most excellent among all sacred tīrthas—setting her apart as the foremost purifier in the tīrtha-kṣetra tradition.

By introducing tīrtha-māhātmya and placing the Gaṅgā at the summit of tīrthas, the text frames pilgrimage and contact with sacred waters as a key means of inner purification that supports dharma and higher spiritual aims.

Treat pilgrimage and sacred bathing as disciplined spiritual practice—paired with ethical conduct—while remembering that true “access” to holiness also requires reverence, restraint, and right intention.

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