Shloka 10
The Greatness of the Gaṇḍakī River and the Śālagrāma Stone
स्वामिन्केयं नदी पुण्या मुनिवृन्दनिषेविता । करोति मम चित्तस्य प्रमोदभरनिर्भरम्
svāminkeyaṃ nadī puṇyā munivṛndaniṣevitā | karoti mama cittasya pramodabharanirbharam
O Herr, welcher heilige Fluss ist dies, von Scharen der Weisen aufgesucht, der mein Herz ganz und gar mit überströmender Freude erfüllt?
Unspecified (a disciple/traveler addressing a revered teacher as 'svāmin')
Concept: Sacred geography is recognized not only by name but by its effect on the heart—prasāda-like joy arising in the presence of a tīrtha.
Application: Notice which environments elevate the mind toward purity and devotion; cultivate pilgrimage as inner transformation, not mere travel.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Type: river
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A disciple stands at the edge of a broad, clear river, hands cupped in awe, eyes bright with sudden joy. Behind him, clusters of sages in bark garments perform japa and offer arghya, while the river’s surface reflects sky and distant hills, suggesting a hidden divinity within the flow.","primary_figures":["disciple/traveler","revered teacher (svāmin)","groups of sages"],"setting":"wide riverbank with smooth stones, small āśrama huts, japa-mālā, smoke from a modest homa, distant foothills","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["sunrise gold","river turquoise","stone gray","sage-robe saffron","sky pale blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: the traveler in añjali asking ‘svāmin’ beside a luminous river, sages in the background with gold leaf accents on water ripples, rich reds/greens in garments, ornate aureoles, decorative border with lotus and śaṅkha-chakra motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: dawn-lit river with delicate ripples, refined figures of sages along the bank, the traveler’s face showing tender wonder, cool blues and soft greens, distant Himalayan foothills, intricate flora and small birds.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized river as rhythmic bands, the traveler and teacher in iconic poses, bold outlines, warm yellow-red-green palette, sages as repeating devotional silhouettes, temple-wall compositional symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: riverbank framed by dense floral borders, lotus clusters floating, peacocks near sages, the traveler centered in devotional posture, deep indigo and gold highlights, subtle Vaishnava symbols woven into the border."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","morning birds","soft hand-bell","distant conch"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्वामिन् के इयम् → स्वामिन् केयं (क + इयम् = केयम्); मुनिवृन्दनिषेविता = मुनि-वृन्द-निषेविता; प्रमोदभरनिर्भरम् = प्रमोद-भर-निर्भरम्।
FAQs
It marks a river as a tīrtha primarily through saintly association—its holiness is signaled by being “frequented by multitudes of sages,” a common Purāṇic criterion for sacred geography.
The speaker’s reverent address (“svāmin”) and the heart’s spontaneous joy on encountering a holy place reflect devotional receptivity—bhakti is shown as an inner transformation prompted by contact with sanctity.
It teaches humility and discernment: one should inquire from a worthy guide and recognize that spiritual uplift often arises from honoring sacred places and the communities of sages who preserve dharma.