Shloka 37
The Glory of Śrāddha at Sacred Fords and the Determination of the Kutapa Time
तीर्थं त्रैयंबकं नाम सर्वतीर्थनमस्कृतम् । यत्रास्ते भगवान्भीमः स्वयमेव त्रिलोचनः
tīrthaṃ traiyaṃbakaṃ nāma sarvatīrthanamaskṛtam | yatrāste bhagavānbhīmaḥ svayameva trilocanaḥ
Es gibt eine heilige Furt namens Traiyambaka, verehrt als jene, der alle anderen heiligen Stätten ihre Ehrerbietung darbringen; dort weilt leibhaftig der Herr Bhīma—Trilocana, der Dreiäugige.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (narrative voice within the Adhyaya)
Concept: A tīrtha becomes supreme where the Lord is apprehended as personally present; sanctity culminates in living darśana rather than mere geography.
Application: Seek ‘sākṣāt-bhāva’ in worship: visit a temple (or home altar) with full attention, as if the deity truly ‘abides’ there; let that presence reshape conduct afterward.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A majestic stone temple at Traiyambaka rises beside a sacred spring, its doorway glowing as if the deity’s gaze spills outward. All other tīrthas are symbolized as tiny river-goddess and mountain-spirit figures approaching with folded hands, offering their own waters and flowers in homage to this ‘sarva-tīrtha-namaskṛta’ sanctuary.","primary_figures":["Trilocana (Śiva) as abiding deity","pilgrims and sages","personified tīrthas (river goddesses, mountain spirits)","temple priests"],"setting":"Temple complex with carved pillars, a nearby kund/spring, and distant hills; processional path filled with offerings.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["basalt gray","lamp-flame amber","sandalwood beige","deep maroon","moonstone white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: grand Traiyambaka temple façade with embossed gold-leaf aura pouring from the sanctum; Trilocana icon with ornate crown and halo; miniature personified tīrthas approaching in rows with kalashas; rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, intricate pillar carvings highlighted in gold.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant temple on a hillside with delicate architectural lines; soft lamp-glow at dusk; refined pilgrims; personified tīrthas as small graceful figures carrying water pots; cool twilight palette with lyrical atmosphere and fine detailing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic Trilocana with bold outlines and large eyes; temple rendered as stylized geometry; rows of tīrtha-deities in flat pigments; dominant reds/yellows/greens with black contours; lamp motifs and sacred spring emphasized.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central temple medallion labeled Traiyambaka; surrounding ring of tiny tīrtha icons offering homage; lotus and floral borders; deep indigo background with gold detailing; peacocks and stylized lamps framing the sanctum glow."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","conch shell","chanting chorus","stone-step footsteps","sustained silence after the verse"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यत्रास्ते→यत्र+आस्ते; भगवान्भीमः→भगवान्+भीमः; स्वयमेव→स्वयम्+एव; त्रैयंबकं=त्र्यम्बकं (वैकल्पिक वर्तनी/अनुनासिक).
FAQs
It highlights Traiyambaka as a pre-eminent pilgrimage site—so revered that other tīrthas are said to pay homage to it—suggesting a hierarchy of sacred places within the Purāṇic sacred geography.
By stating that Śiva abides there “in person,” the verse frames pilgrimage and worship at Traiyambaka as direct access to the deity, reinforcing devotional practice through sacred presence (sannidhya).
It encourages reverence for sanctified places and disciplined pilgrimage, implying that humility and श्रद्धा (faith) toward such sites cultivates spiritual merit and deeper connection with the divine.