Shloka 90
Narrative of King Pṛthu: Chastising and Milking the Earth
पृथोर्वैन्यस्य चरितं यः शृणोति द्विजोत्तमाः । तस्य भागीरथी स्नानमहन्यहनि जायते
pṛthorvainyasya caritaṃ yaḥ śṛṇoti dvijottamāḥ | tasya bhāgīrathī snānamahanyahani jāyate
O ihr Besten der Zweimalgeborenen: Wer die Geschichte von Pṛthu Vainya hört, dem erwächst Tag für Tag das Verdienst, als hätte er in der Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā) gebadet.
Unspecified (narratorial voice addressing 'dvijottamāḥ')
Concept: Śravaṇa of a dharmic/Viṣṇu-aligned king’s carita can substitute for (or generate) the merit of repeated pilgrimage bathing—inner tirtha through devotion and attention.
Application: If travel to tirthas is impossible, cultivate daily ‘inner pilgrimage’ through listening/reading Purāṇic kathā with sincerity and ethical follow-through.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: river
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On one side, sages sit in an āśrama listening to the Pṛthu-kathā; on the other, the Bhāgīrathī flows in luminous ribbons, as if the sound of the story becomes water. Each syllable appears as a shimmering droplet, forming a bridge of merit from the recitation circle to the sacred river.","primary_figures":["Pṛthu (as a visionary vignette)","Narrator-sage","Dvijottamāḥ","Personified Gaṅgā (Ganga-devī)"],"setting":"Split-scene composition: forest hermitage foreground; radiant riverbank with steps (ghāṭa) and flowing Bhāgīrathī in the background; subtle celestial approval above.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["silver white","river teal","sapphire blue","lotus pink","soft gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Ganga-devī seated on a makara near a gleaming Bhāgīrathī; sages listening to kathā in the foreground; gold leaf used to render the river’s divine shimmer and halos; rich reds/greens in garments; ornate borders with lotus motifs; iconographic clarity and devotional grandeur.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical river valley with delicate brushwork; moonlit ghāṭa; sages in quiet attention; a translucent visual metaphor where sound-waves from the narrator become silver ripples on the river; cool blues and teals with gentle pink highlights.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized Ganga-devī and flowing river rendered with bold outlines; sages in iconic seated poses; natural pigments; strong contrast of deep blue river and warm ochres; decorative cloud bands showing merit descending day after day.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central flowing river motif framed by lotus borders; devotional narrative circle of sages; peacocks and cows at margins; deep indigo background with gold river filigree; intricate floral patterns suggesting ‘daily’ recurring merit."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","conch shell (soft)","temple bells at refrain","night insects","tanpura drone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पृथोः+वैन्यस्य → पृथोर्वैन्यस्य; स्नानम्+अहनि-अहनि → स्नानमहन्यहनि (म् + अ → म; अहनि+अहनि → अहन्यहनि with य्-आगम).
FAQs
It states that listening to the life and deeds of King Pṛthu (Pṛthu Vainya) grants the recurring merit equivalent to bathing in the Gaṅgā (Bhāgīrathī) every day.
Bhāgīrathī is a traditional epithet of the Gaṅgā, linked to King Bhagīratha, whose austerities are celebrated as bringing the river down for the welfare of beings.
It elevates attentive hearing (śravaṇa) of exemplary, dharma-centered royal conduct—here, Pṛthu’s—showing that inner engagement with dharmic narratives can yield tīrtha-like purification and sustained merit.