Shloka 20

The Greatness of Kāśī (Kāśī-māhātmya) and Avimukta’s Liberative Power

Devanagari script

अयनं तूत्तरं ज्ञेयं तिमिचंडेश्वरं ततः । दक्षिणं शंकुकर्णं तु ॐकारे तदनंतरम् ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

ayanaṃ tūttaraṃ jñeyaṃ timicaṃḍeśvaraṃ tataḥ | dakṣiṇaṃ śaṃkukarṇaṃ tu oṃkāre tadanaṃtaram || 20 ||

Translation

当知北方之道名为“提弥旃陀伊湿伐罗”（Timicaṇḍeśvara）；其后在南侧的“唵迦罗”（Oṃkāra）处，有“商拘迦耳那”（Śaṅkukarṇa）之圣祠。

Word by Word

• अयनम्: path/route (ayana)
• अयनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/विरोधार्थक-अन्वय (particle; but/indeed)

• उत्तरम्: northern
• उत्तरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective agreeing with अयनम्

• ज्ञेयम्: to be known/should be known
• ज्ञेयम्: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be known’

• तिमिचण्डेश्वरम्: (the deity/place) Timicaṇḍeśvara
• तिमिचण्डेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिमि + चण्ड + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक); components: तिमि-चण्ड-ईश्वर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; proper name; tatpuruṣa (determinative)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभावार्थ/क्रमवाचक (adverb; then/thereafter/from that)

• दक्षिणम्: southern
• दक्षिणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective (elliptic: ‘southern [ayana]’)

• शंकुकर्णम्: (the deity/place) Śaṅkukarṇa
• शंकुकर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकु + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक); components: शंकु-कर्ण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; proper name; tatpuruṣa

• तु: and/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle; and/but)

• ॐकारे: in/at Oṃkāra
• ॐकारे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ॐकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; locative singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after/next
• अनन्तरम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘immediately following’

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a tirtha-mahatmya context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Omkara
• Timicandesvara
• Sankukarna

FAQs

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

It sacralizes space by mapping specific directional sectors at Oṃkāra to named Īśvara-shrines, teaching that pilgrimage is not random travel but a disciplined movement through consecrated geography.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as darśana and yātrā—approaching the Lord through specific holy stations (Timicaṇḍeśvara, Śaṅkukarṇa) with awareness of place, direction, and sequence, which turns physical movement into devotional practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied Jyotiṣa/ritual-directionality (dik-vicāra) used in yātrā and kṣetra-parikrama—knowing north/south sectors and ordered progression for visiting shrines.