Shloka 63
The Glory of Śrāddha at Sacred Fords and the Determination of the Kutapa Time
सप्तगोदावरीनाम सर्वतीर्थेश्वरेश्वरम् । तत्र श्राद्धं प्रदातव्यमनंतफलमीप्सुभिः
saptagodāvarīnāma sarvatīrtheśvareśvaram | tatra śrāddhaṃ pradātavyamanaṃtaphalamīpsubhiḥ
In Saptagodāvarī—verehrt als der höchste Herr unter allen heiligen Stätten—sollen jene, die unendliche Frucht begehren, dort das śrāddha darbringen.
Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa context)
Concept: Pitṛ-tarpaṇa and śrāddha performed at an exalted tīrtha becomes ‘ananta-phala’—merit that does not exhaust.
Application: Remember ancestors with gratitude; perform śrāddha/tarpaṇa with sincerity (even simplified forms) and support dharmic causes at sacred places.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On the banks of the broad Godāvarī, seven sacred currents or confluences are suggested by seven shimmering streams meeting in a lotus-like pattern. A pilgrim family performs śrāddha with darbha grass and sesame, while unseen pitṛs are hinted as translucent, blessing silhouettes above the water, and a distant shrine flags the tīrtha’s sovereignty.","primary_figures":["Pilgrim performing śrāddha","Pitṛs (ancestral spirits, subtle)","River-goddess Godāvarī (personified, optional)"],"setting":"Godāvarī riverbank tīrtha with ghāṭa steps, small shrines, banyan and peepal trees, offering plates with piṇḍa and tila.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["river-jade green","saffron ochre","lotus pink","conch white","antique gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Saptagodāvarī ghāṭa at sunrise, central devotee offering piṇḍa and tila with darbha, personified Godāvarī as a crowned river-devi holding a kumbha, subtle pitṛ forms above the water; heavy gold leaf halos, rich maroon and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, ornate temple arch framing the scene.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical Godāvarī riverbank with delicate ripples and seven meeting streams, small figures performing śrāddha under a banyan, distant hill-temple and fluttering flags; cool greens and blues, refined faces, fine linework, soft atmospheric perspective.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined river-devi Godāvarī beside a ghāṭa, devotee with offering tray, stylized pitṛ silhouettes in the upper register; natural pigment palette with dominant red, yellow, green, and black contours, temple-wall composition symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Godāvarī rendered as a lotus-filled water field with floral borders, ghāṭa and tiny shrines, devotees offering tarpaṇa; intricate lotus motifs, deep indigo background with gold highlights, peacocks on the border, devotional textile aesthetic."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","soft conch shell","morning birds","ritual murmurs"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सप्तगोदावरीनाम → सप्त + गोदावरी + नाम; सर्वतीर्थेश्वरेश्वरम् → सर्वतीर्थेश्वर + ईश्वरम्; प्रदातव्यमनंतफलमीप्सुभिः → प्रदातव्यम् + अनन्तफलम् + ईप्सुभिः
FAQs
It elevates Saptagodāvarī (a Godāvarī-related pilgrimage locus, associated with multiple sacred fords/branches) as a pre-eminent tīrtha, implying a hierarchy of holy places mapped onto rivers and their sanctified sites.
While the act prescribed is ritual (śrāddha), the verse frames it as a faith-filled offering at a supremely sacred tīrtha—an orientation that aligns karma (rite) with devotion and reverence toward sanctified space.
It underscores gratitude and duty toward ancestors: performing śrāddha is presented as a meritorious responsibility, and choosing a revered tīrtha is portrayed as a way to maximize the intended spiritual benefit.