Shloka 194
Rudra’s Removal of Brahmahatyā; Kapālamocana and Avimukta Māhātmya; Origins of Nara and Karṇa
link to Arjuna/Karna query
तत्तीर्थं सर्वतीर्थानामुत्तमं परिकीर्तितम् । त्यजंति तत्र ये प्राणान्प्राणिनः प्रणतास्तव
tattīrthaṃ sarvatīrthānāmuttamaṃ parikīrtitam | tyajaṃti tatra ye prāṇānprāṇinaḥ praṇatāstava
সেই তীৰ্থ সকলো তীৰ্থৰ ভিতৰত সৰ্বোত্তম বুলি কীৰ্তিত। যিসকল প্ৰাণী তোমাক প্ৰণাম কৰি ভক্তিভাৱে তাত প্ৰাণ ত্যাগ কৰে, তেওঁলোকে পৰম গতি লাভ কৰে।
Unspecified (context-dependent within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa narrative)
Concept: Surrendered devotion at a supremely sanctified tīrtha grants the highest end, even at life’s final moment.
Application: Approach sacred spaces with humility and intentional devotion; cultivate daily ‘inner tīrtha’ through bowing, remembrance, and ethical restraint so that the final moment is naturally oriented toward the Divine.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A luminous sacred ford where pilgrims stand waist-deep in calm, crystal water, hands folded in namaskāra toward an unseen deity. An aged devotee, serene and bowed, releases the final breath as lotus petals drift downstream, suggesting the soul’s crossing to the supreme shore.","primary_figures":["devotee-pilgrims","a serene elder devotee","invisible presiding deity (suggested by aura/arch)"],"setting":"river-ford tīrtha with stone ghāṭa steps, banyan and aśvattha trees, small shrine with bells and flags","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["lotus pink","saffron gold","river jade","stone gray","pearl white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sacred river-ghāṭa tīrtha with a small sanctum and arch, devotees in namaskāra, an elder devotee in serene prāṇa-tyāga posture; heavy gold leaf halos and borders, rich vermilion and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on shrine icons, stylized lotus petals on the water, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: tranquil river ford with stepped ghāṭa, delicate pilgrims with refined faces, soft mist over water, banyan leaves rendered with fine brushwork; cool yet luminous palette, lyrical naturalism, distant hills and a tiny shrine flag fluttering, emphasis on quiet surrender at the water’s edge.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, warm ochres and greens, a river-ghāṭa with stylized waves, devotees in folded-hands posture, a radiant aura indicating the presiding deity; temple-wall aesthetic with ornamental borders, characteristic large eyes and rhythmic composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: lotus-filled river tīrtha with ornate floral borders, peacocks on the ghāṭa steps, devotees offering folded hands; deep indigo water with gold highlights, abundant lotus motifs, a central radiant aura suggesting the Lord’s presence, intricate textile-like detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","conch shell (distant)","morning birds","silence between lines"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तत्तीर्थम् = तत् + तीर्थम्; सर्वतीर्थानामुत्तमम् = सर्वतीर्थानाम् + उत्तमम्; त्यजंति = त्यजन्ति (अनुस्वार/वर्तनीभेद); प्राणान्प्राणिनः = प्राणान् + प्राणिनः; प्रणतास्तव = प्रणताः + तव
FAQs
It declares a particular tīrtha to be the सर्वोत्तम (highest) among all pilgrimage places, implying a recognized hierarchy of sacred sites based on their salvific potency.
It links the result not merely to location but to inner posture—being praṇata (bowed/surrendered) to the addressed deity—suggesting that devotion completes the meaning of tīrtha.
The verse implies that reverence, surrender, and a God-centered orientation transform religious acts (like pilgrimage) into a path toward the highest goal, rather than treating sacred places as mere external rituals.