Shloka 38

The Greatness of Kāśī (Avimukta): Pilgrimage Calendar, Yātrā-Dharma, and the Network of Śiva-Liṅgas

Devanagari script

एतद्रहस्यमाख्यातं तव स्नेहाद्वरानने । अकारं चाप्युकरं च मकारं च प्रकीर्तितम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

etadrahasyamākhyātaṃ tava snehādvarānane | akāraṃ cāpyukaraṃ ca makāraṃ ca prakīrtitam || 38 ||

Translation

噢，容颜姣美者，因怜爱于你，我已宣说此秘密；并且也宣扬了音节“阿(A)”“乌(U)”“牟(M)”。

Word by Word

• एतत्-रहस्यम्: this secret (teaching)
• एतत्-रहस्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः ('एतत्' इति विशेषणं रहस्यस्य)

• आख्यातम्: has been explained
• आख्यातम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—'has been told/declared'

• तव: to you/your
• तव: Sampradana/Relation (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्नेहात्: out of affection
• स्नेहात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (ablative of cause)

• वरानने: O fair-faced one
• वरानने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरानना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• अकारम्: the letter 'a'
• अकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

• उकारम्: the letter 'u'
• उकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मकारम्: the letter 'm'
• मकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रकीर्तितम्: has been proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—'has been proclaimed'

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Om (Praṇava)

FAQs

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

It frames Praṇava-teaching as a guarded ‘rahasya’ (esoteric instruction) transmitted through compassion, highlighting Om (A-U-M) as a concentrated doorway to spiritual realization.

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

By emphasizing affectionate transmission and the proclamation of A-U-M, it points to mantra-upāsanā—devotional remembrance through Praṇava—as a direct support for inner devotion and liberation-oriented worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implicitly draws on Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics) and mantra-vidyā: the precise articulation and understanding of the three phonetic units A, U, and M that constitute Praṇava.