Shloka 21
Moksha and Svarga through Dāna, Tīrtha, Nāma-smaraṇa, and Bhāva
हरिक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे भृगुक्षेत्रे तथैव च / प्रभासे श्रीस्थले चैव अर्बुदे च त्रिपुष्करे
harikṣetre kurukṣetre bhṛgukṣetre tathaiva ca / prabhāse śrīsthale caiva arbude ca tripuṣkare
في هريكشيترا (Harikṣetra)، وفي كوروكشيترا (Kurukṣetra)، وفي بهريغوكشيترا (Bhṛgukṣetra)، وكذلك في برابهاسا (Prabhāsa)؛ وفي شريستهالا (Śrīsthala)، وأربودا (Arbuda)، وتريبوشكرا (Tripuṣkara) أيضًا—فهذه كلّها كْشِتْرَات حجٍّ بالغة القداسة.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)
Concept: Smaraṇa and visitation of kṣetras is a purifier; sacred geography functions as a support for devotion and merit.
Vedantic Theme: External tīrtha as an aid to inner tīrtha (purified mind); bhakti expressed through yātrā and remembrance.
Application: Undertake pilgrimage with vows of restraint and charity; if travel is impossible, practice tīrtha-smaraṇa, study of kṣetra-māhātmyas, and local temple service.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tīrtha-kṣetra (pilgrimage regions)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: tīrtha lists and their fruits recur across dharma/vrata sections; Garuda Purana: emphasis on Prabhāsa and Puṣkara in pilgrimage discourse
FAQs
This verse lists renowned tīrthas, indicating that visiting or performing rites at such sanctified places is regarded as especially merit-producing (puṇya), supporting purification and auspicious outcomes for the living and for ancestral observances.
In the Preta Kanda context, tīrtha-māhātmya underscores that acts like śrāddha, charity, vows, and remembrance performed in powerful pilgrimage-sites are traditionally believed to yield intensified merit, which is often linked to easing post-death transitions and honoring ancestors.
If travel is possible, choose reputable sacred sites for śrāddha, charity, and prayer; if not, emulate the intent by performing rites with sincerity, ethical conduct, and disciplined giving—treating the practice as inner purification rather than mere tourism.