Shloka 1
Narmadā Pilgrimage Itinerary: Sequence of Tīrthas, Rites, and Fruits
नारद उवाच । ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र विहगेश्वरमुत्तमम् । दर्शनात्तस्यराजेंद्र मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः
nārada uvāca | tato gaccheta rājeṃdra vihageśvaramuttamam | darśanāttasyarājeṃdra mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ
নারদ বললেন—তখন, হে রাজেন্দ্র, উত্তম বিহগেশ্বরের কাছে গমন করা উচিত। হে রাজেন্দ্র, তাঁর দর্শনমাত্রেই সকল পাপ থেকে মুক্তি হয়।
Nārada
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: temple
Sandhi Resolution Notes: राजेंद्र = राजेन्द्र; विहगेश्वरमुत्तमम् = विहगेश्वरम् + उत्तमम्; दर्शनात्तस्यराजेंद्र = दर्शनात् + तस्य + राजेन्द्र; सर्वपातकैः treated as सर्वपातक + तृतीया बहुवचन (instrumental/ablatival sense with passive मुच्यते).
FAQs
“Vihageśvara” literally means “lord of birds” and is commonly understood as Garuḍa, the divine bird and vehicle of Lord Viṣṇu, revered in Vaiṣṇava tradition.
The verse emphasizes darśana—sacred seeing/encounter—as a powerful purifying act, stating that merely beholding Vihageśvara leads to release from all sins.
It teaches faith in holy association and reverent approach to sacred beings/places: sincere pilgrimage and devotion (even expressed through darśana) are presented as transformative and morally purifying.