Shloka 69
Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya: Bhakti-Lakṣaṇa, Nārasiṁha-tīrtha, and the Secret Darśana-Vidhi of Śrīnivāsa
अस्मिन्स्नानं ये प्रकुर्वन्ति तीर्थे तेषां ज्ञानं परमं दृढं स्यात् / अत्र स्नाने मानुषाणां च तात बुद्धिर्न हि स्यात्कलिकाले विशेषात्
asminsnānaṃ ye prakurvanti tīrthe teṣāṃ jñānaṃ paramaṃ dṛḍhaṃ syāt / atra snāne mānuṣāṇāṃ ca tāta buddhirna hi syātkalikāle viśeṣāt
Wer in diesem heiligen Tīrtha badet, erlangt höchstes und standhaftes geistiges Wissen. Doch im Kali-Yuga, o Lieber, entwickeln die Menschen im Allgemeinen selbst durch das Baden hier keine solche Unterscheidungskraft—das ist eine besondere Wirkung des Kali-Zeitalters.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Tīrtha practices can support jñāna, but inner discernment (buddhi) is essential; Kali-yuga obstructs effortless spiritual maturation.
Vedantic Theme: Jñāna requires antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi; external rites aid but do not guarantee realization without inner preparedness.
Application: Combine pilgrimage/ritual with study, reflection, and ethical living; counter Kali-yuga inertia through discipline and satsanga.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: tīrtha
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.71 (prescribed bathing practice at Nārasiṃha-tīrtha)
FAQs
This verse says that bathing at a true tīrtha can stabilize and deepen spiritual knowledge (jñāna), indicating it is meant to support inner purification, not merely external ritual.
It states that in Kali-yuga people often fail to gain the intended wisdom and discernment even when performing sacred acts like tīrtha-bathing, due to the age’s degrading influence on buddhi (spiritual intelligence).
Treat pilgrimage and ritual bathing as a support for ethical living, self-discipline, and study; without sincere intent and right conduct, outer rites may not yield inner clarity—especially in Kali-yuga.