Kṛṣṇa Visits Trivakrā; Akrūra’s Praise and the Hastināpura Mission
न ह्यम्मयानि तीर्थानि न देवा मृच्छिलामया: । ते पुनन्त्युरुकालेन दर्शनादेव साधव: ॥ ३१ ॥
na hy am-mayāni tīrthāni na devā mṛc-chilā-mayāḥ te punanty uru-kālena darśanād eva sādhavaḥ
Niemand kann leugnen, dass es heilige Pilgerstätten mit geweihten Flüssen gibt und dass die Götter in Kultbildern aus Erde und Stein erscheinen. Doch diese reinigen erst nach langer Zeit, während Heilige schon durch bloßes Erblicktwerden läutern.
This verse says saintly devotees purify immediately simply by their darśana, whereas tīrthas typically purify gradually over time.
Krishna honors Akrura as a great devotee and teaches that the real sanctity of pilgrimage and worship is fulfilled through contact with sādhus—devotees like Akrura—whose presence brings instant purification.
Seek genuine devotee association—hear from them, serve, and take their guidance—because even brief contact with sincere sādhus can transform one’s consciousness faster than external rituals alone.