Shloka 47
Puruṣottama-māhātmya
The Greatness of Puruṣottama Kṣetra
कस्मिन्क्षेत्रेऽथवा तीर्थे नदीतीरे तथाश्रमे । एवं चिंतापरः सोऽथ निरीक्ष्य मनसा महीम् ॥ ४७ ॥
kasminkṣetre'thavā tīrthe nadītīre tathāśrame | evaṃ ciṃtāparaḥ so'tha nirīkṣya manasā mahīm || 47 ||
In tiefer Versenkung überschaut er die Erde im Geist und fragte sich: „In welches heilige Gebiet (kṣetra), zu welchem Pilgerort (tīrtha), an welches Flussufer oder in welchen Āśrama soll ich gehen?“
Suta (narrating the account within the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahātmya flow)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It highlights the Purāṇic principle that spiritual progress is supported by choosing a conducive sacred setting—kṣetra, tīrtha, riverbank, or āśrama—where dharma, purity, and focused sādhana are easier to sustain.
By emphasizing deliberate selection of a holy environment, the verse implies that bhakti thrives with saṅga and saṁskāra—places associated with worship, remembrance, and disciplined living naturally strengthen devotion and steadiness of mind.
Indirectly, it points to applied dharma-śāstra/kalpa-style discernment: selecting an appropriate place (deśa) and setting (āśrama, tīra, tīrtha) for rites, japa, and vrata observance—key practical knowledge for correct religious practice.