Shloka 1

Tīrtha-yātrā-varṇana

Description of Pilgrimage to the Sacred Fords

Devanagari script

वसुरुवाच । वायव्ये तु दिशो भागे तस्य पीठस्य सुंदरि । लिंगं प्रस्थापितं तत्र सगरेण चतुर्मुखम् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

vasuruvāca | vāyavye tu diśo bhāge tasya pīṭhasya suṃdari | liṃgaṃ prasthāpitaṃ tatra sagareṇa caturmukham || 1 ||

Translation

婆苏说道：“美丽者啊，在那神圣圣座（pīṭha）的西北方，萨伽罗曾在彼处安置了一尊四面灵伽（liṅga）。”

Word by Word

• वसुः: Vasu
• वसुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• वायव्ये: in the north-west (vāyavya)
• वायव्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• दिशः: of the direction
• दिशः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• भागे: in the region/part
• भागे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पीठस्य: of the sacred seat (pīṭha)
• पीठस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुन्दरि: O beautiful one
• सुन्दरि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुन्दरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रस्थापितम्: installed/established
• प्रस्थापितम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग-सूचक (set up/installed)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• सगरेण: by Sagara
• सगरेण: Karana (करण/Instrument or Agent-instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• चतुर्मुखम्: four-faced
• चतुर्मुखम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (संख्यापूर्वपद), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of लिङ्गम्)

Speaker

Vasu

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"adbhuta","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_journey":"Wonder at a sacred installation, settling into reverent calm around the pīṭha and its liṅga."}

Characters & Entities

• Vasu
• Sagara
• Linga
• Pitha
• Vayu (directional deity)

FAQs

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

It sacralizes a specific sector of the pīṭha (the vāyavya quarter) by linking it to a formal liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (installation), showing how geography, consecration, and merit (puṇya) are mapped together in Uttara-bhāga tīrtha-māhātmya.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through sacred presence and worship: establishing and honoring a liṅga at a pīṭha provides a concrete locus for श्रद्धा (faith), pūjā, and pilgrimage—devotion embodied through consecrated worship rather than abstract doctrine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Directional ritual knowledge is implied: vāyavya-dik (north-west) is a standard dik-nirdeśa used in temple layout and pratiṣṭhā procedures—an application aligned with Kalpa (ritual manuals) and traditional vastu/dik-vicāra used in Purāṇic worship contexts.