Shloka 100
Tīrtha-Māhātmya Sequence: Sacred Fords, Baths, Gifts, and Śrāddha
Narmadā-Belt Itinerary
तत्र तीर्थं समुत्पन्नं विष्णुः प्रीतो भवेदिह । अहोरात्रोपवासेन ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति
tatra tīrthaṃ samutpannaṃ viṣṇuḥ prīto bhavediha | ahorātropavāsena brahmahatyāṃ vyapohati
তাত এক তীৰ্থ উদ্ভৱ হৈছে; তাত বিষ্ণু প্ৰসন্ন হন। অহোৰাত্ৰ উপবাসে ব্ৰাহ্মণ-হত্যাৰ পাপ দূৰ কৰে।
Unspecified (narrative voice within the Svarga-khaṇḍa dialogue context)
Concept: Tīrtha-sevā combined with disciplined fasting becomes a direct means of pāpa-kṣaya, even for grave sins, when oriented to pleasing Viṣṇu.
Application: Undertake periodic day-and-night fasting with prayerful remembrance of Viṣṇu, and pair austerity with pilgrimage/temple-visits as a conscious act of inner purification rather than mere ritual.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A secluded sacred ford has just ‘arisen’—its waters shimmer with a subtle lotus-like radiance, as if Viṣṇu’s presence has sanctified the very current. A lone pilgrim stands on the bank in austere stillness, hands folded, completing an ahorātra fast while a faint, compassionate form of Viṣṇu is perceived in the water’s reflection.","primary_figures":["Vishnu","a fasting pilgrim (yatri)","tirtha-devata (optional personification)"],"setting":"river-ford/tīrtha ghat with stone steps, small shrine, and banyan-peepal shade; offerings arranged neatly on a leaf-plate","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","lotus pink","gold leaf","river-silver","sandalwood beige"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Viṣṇu appearing above a newly manifested tīrtha, conch and discus gleaming, gold leaf halo and ornate arch, a fasting pilgrim at the ghat with folded hands, rich vermilion and emerald accents, gem-studded ornaments, stylized waves and lotus motifs, temple-lamp glow reflected on water.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet Himalayan-like river ford with delicate ripples, a solitary pilgrim in white completing an all-day fast, Viṣṇu’s subtle presence suggested in a luminous reflection, fine brushwork on foliage, cool blues and soft pinks, lyrical naturalism and refined faces, distant hills and a small shrine under trees.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined Viṣṇu with serene eyes and elaborate crown hovering above the tīrtha, stylized ghat steps and flowing water patterns, natural pigment palette with dominant blues/greens and warm reds, ritual austerity conveyed by the pilgrim’s simple posture, temple-wall aesthetic and symmetrical composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Viṣṇu-centered tīrtha scene framed by intricate floral borders and lotus clusters, deep indigo water with gold highlights, a devotee observing ahorātra-upavāsa at the ghat, peacocks and sacred trees at the margins, ornate textile-like detailing and devotional symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","conch shell","silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भवेदिह = भवेत् + इह; अहोरात्रोपवासेन = अहोरात्र + उपवासेन (compound in instrumental); verb root for व्यपोहति is from अपोह्/ऊह् with prefixes वि+अप (to remove).
FAQs
It presents a tīrtha as a divinely potent place—one where Viṣṇu is specifically said to be pleased—implying that location-based sacredness and pilgrimage are integral to religious practice in the Svarga-khaṇḍa.
By stating that Viṣṇu becomes pleased at this tīrtha, the verse frames religious merit around pleasing the deity; the fast functions as a devotional act (upavāsa) aligned with Vaiṣṇava piety.
It underscores the gravity of harming the learned and virtuous (brāhmaṇas) while also teaching that disciplined penitential practices—here, a day-and-night fast—are prescribed as means of moral and spiritual rectification.