Shloka 33

The Account of the Fruits of Bathing at Particular Sacred Places

Tīrtha-viśeṣa-snāna-phala

Devanagari script

तत्रैव ब्रह्मणस्तीर्थे ज्योतिष्टोमायुतस्य च । अश्वमेधत्रयस्यापि स्नातः पुण्यं लभेन्नरः ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

tatraiva brahmaṇastīrthe jyotiṣṭomāyutasya ca | aśvamedhatrayasyāpi snātaḥ puṇyaṃ labhennaraḥ || 33 ||

Translation

就在那处，在梵天（Brahmā）的圣渡（tīrtha）沐浴者，所得功德等同于一万次“光明祭”（Jyotiṣṭoma），亦等同于三次“马祭”（Aśvamedha）。

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक अव्यय/adverb of place)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; emphasis)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman/Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• ज्योतिष्टोम: Jyotiṣṭoma (sacrifice)
• ज्योतिष्टोम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिष्टोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) in next pada via compound-like numeral phrase, एकवचन (as name of sacrifice)

• अयुतस्य: of ten-thousand
• अयुतस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (ten-thousand)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/coordination conjunction)

• अश्वमेध: Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
• अश्वमेध: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) in next pada via numeral phrase, एकवचन (as name of sacrifice)

• त्रयस्य: of three
• त्रयस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (three)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक particle: also/even)

• स्नातः: having bathed
• स्नातः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृत् (past participle/क्त), परस्मैपद-भावार्थ; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (one who has bathed)

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Narada Purana’s tirtha-mahatmya to the sages, within the broader Narada–Sanatkumara teaching tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Jyotishtoma
• Ashvamedha
• Tirtha

FAQs

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

It teaches that tīrtha-snānā (bathing at a sanctified pilgrimage ford) can confer immense puṇya, traditionally compared to great Vedic sacrifices, emphasizing accessibility of merit through sacred places.

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

While framed in yajña-equivalence, the verse supports a bhakti-aligned ethic: approaching a sacred tīrtha with faith and purity (śraddhā) makes spiritual benefit attainable even without performing costly royal sacrifices.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It references Śrauta ritual categories (Jyotiṣṭoma and Aśvamedha), pointing to Vedic ritual science (Kalpa/Vedāṅga) and the Purāṇic method of expressing tīrtha-phala by comparison to renowned yajñas.