Shloka 52
Arjuna Marries Subhadrā; Kṛṣṇa Honors Two Devotees in Mithilā (Śrutadeva and Bahulāśva)
देवा: क्षेत्राणि तीर्थानि दर्शनस्पर्शनार्चनै: । शनै: पुनन्ति कालेन तदप्यर्हत्तमेक्षया ॥ ५२ ॥
devāḥ kṣetrāṇi tīrthāni darśana-sparśanārcanaiḥ śanaiḥ punanti kālena tad apy arhattamekṣayā
Tempelgottheiten, heilige Stätten und Tīrthas reinigen einen Menschen allmählich — durch Schauen, Berühren und Verehren, im Lauf der Zeit. Doch dieselbe Frucht wird augenblicklich erlangt, wenn man den gnädigen Blick erhabener Weiser empfängt.
Rather than remaining in seclusion and concentrating on their own perfection, Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇas of the highest order dedicate their lives to sharing the benediction of the Lord’s devotional service. In the words of the sons of King Prācīnabarhi:
FAQs
This verse says holy places are purified gradually by the demigods through worship and contact, but they are purified immediately by the glance of the most exalted saintly devotee.
In the narrative flow of Canto 10, Śukadeva highlights that living devotion (association of pure devotees) is the quickest purifier, surpassing reliance on external sacred geography alone.
Prioritize genuine association with sincere devotees and saintly teachers—hearing from them and serving them—rather than treating pilgrimage as a mere ritual or tourism.