Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 23
Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Meets Lord Śiva: Devotee as Living Tīrtha and the Lord’s Māyā
न ह्यम्मयानि तीर्थानि न देवाश्चेतनोज्झिता: । ते पुनन्त्युरुकालेन यूयं दर्शनमात्रत: ॥ २३ ॥
na hy am-mayāni tīrthāni na devāś cetanojjhitāḥ te punanty uru-kālena yūyaṁ darśana-mātrataḥ
ليست مجرّدُ مسطّحات الماء هي التي تُسمّى تيرثا، ولا تماثيلُ الآلهة الخالية من الوعي آلهةً تُعبد حقًّا. ولأن النظر الخارجي لا يدرك جوهر الأنهار المقدّسة والآلهة الأعلى، فإنها تُطهّر بعد زمن طويل؛ أمّا أمثالكم من البهاكتا فيُطهّرون فورًا بمجرد أن يُرى وجههم.
FAQs
This verse says that holy places and even deity forms purify gradually, but a saintly devotee can purify a person immediately simply by darśana (being seen).
In Canto 12, Mārkaṇḍeya offers reverence to Nara-Nārāyaṇa and emphasizes that the Lord’s devotees and sages are the highest purifiers, surpassing ordinary notions of tīrtha as only water or divinity as merely a statue.
Seek genuine association—hear from, serve, and regularly meet sincere devotees—because uplifting company reforms consciousness faster than occasional external rituals alone.