Shloka 14
The Glory of Śrāddha at Sacred Fords and the Determination of the Kutapa Time
कुरुक्षेत्रं महापुण्यं यत्र मार्गोपि लक्ष्यते । अद्यापि पितृतीर्थं तु सर्वकामफलप्रदम्
kurukṣetraṃ mahāpuṇyaṃ yatra mārgopi lakṣyate | adyāpi pitṛtīrthaṃ tu sarvakāmaphalapradam
Kurukṣetra ist von höchstem Verdienst, so berühmt, dass selbst der Weg dorthin deutlich bekannt ist. Noch heute verleiht das Pitṛ-tīrtha dort die Früchte aller gewünschten Ziele.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (contextual narrator voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa)
Concept: Certain tīrthas are so potent and renowned that merely reaching them (and performing rites there) yields comprehensive fruits, including fulfillment of legitimate desires.
Application: Choose desires carefully; pursue them through dharmic means—charity, restraint, and remembrance of the divine—rather than through harm. Honor ancestors as part of a balanced spiritual life.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A wide sacred plain dotted with tīrtha-kundas and ancient banyans stretches under a vast sky; pilgrims move in a gentle procession along a clearly marked route lined with flags and stone markers. At a quiet water-step, a family performs pitṛ-offerings while a distant chariot silhouette evokes the dharma-kṣetra memory.","primary_figures":["Pilgrims","Householder family performing śrāddha","Local tīrtha-priest","Symbolic distant chariot (Mahābhārata echo)"],"setting":"Kurukṣetra plain with sarovara ghāṭas, way-markers, and small shrines","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["earth ochre","sky blue","flag crimson","leaf green","sunlit gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Kurukṣetra as a sacred panorama with a central pitṛ-tīrtha kunda; pilgrims in ornate attire; gold leaf highlighting the water’s sanctity and shrine arches; rich reds/greens, stylized lotuses on the kunda, traditional ornamentation and symmetrical composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: expansive plain with delicate trees and a reflective sarovara; small figures walking a known route; subtle narrative detail of śrāddha at the steps; cool palette with warm highlights, refined faces, gentle horizon haze.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized kunda and shrine with bold outlines; pilgrims and priest in profile; symbolic chariot motif in the background; strong reds, yellows, greens; patterned borders with chakra and lotus motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Kurukṣetra tīrtha rendered with ornate borders, lotus-filled sarovara, hanging lamps, and peacocks; processional route as a decorative band; deep blues and gold; subtle Vaishnava emblems integrated into floral motifs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["footsteps on earth","temple bells","conch shell","murmured mantras","wind through flags"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: mārgaḥ + api → mārgo'pi; adya + api → adyāpi; sarva-kāma-phala-pradam is a multi-member tatpuruṣa compound.
FAQs
It presents Kurukṣetra as a widely recognized pilgrimage region whose approach routes are well-known, highlighting its prominence in the Purāṇic sacred landscape and the fame of specific sub-sites like Pitṛ-tīrtha.
Rather than a doctrinal bhakti teaching, it emphasizes devotional practice through tīrtha-sevā—reverent pilgrimage and ritual acts—especially those connected to honoring ancestors, which Purāṇas often frame as spiritually efficacious.
The verse underscores gratitude and duty toward one’s forebears (pitṛ-dharma): honoring ancestors through sacred observances is portrayed as a powerful, socially and spiritually grounding responsibility.