Shloka 82
The Glory of Śrāddha at Sacred Fords and the Determination of the Kutapa Time
येषु तीर्थेषु यच्छ्राद्धं तत्कोटिगुणमिष्यते । गयायां यत्तु वै श्राद्धं तच्छ्राद्धमपवर्गदम्
yeṣu tīrtheṣu yacchrāddhaṃ tatkoṭiguṇamiṣyate | gayāyāṃ yattu vai śrāddhaṃ tacchrāddhamapavargadam
Welches Śrāddha auch immer an jenen Tīrthas vollzogen wird, heißt es, es bringe Verdienst in crore-facher Weise; doch das Śrāddha, das in Gayā dargebracht wird, ist wahrlich ein Śrāddha, das Befreiung (Apavarga) gewährt.
Unspecified (narrative voice in the chapter context not provided in input)
Concept: Rites performed at tīrthas multiply merit; Gayā-śrāddha uniquely tends toward apavarga (mokṣa).
Application: Remember lineage with gratitude; perform śrāddha/tarpaṇa with sincerity; if travel is impossible, emulate the spirit through charity and prayer while holding Gayā as an ideal.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On the banks near Gayā, priests guide a solemn śrāddha: sesame seeds fall into sacred water, rice-balls (piṇḍa) are offered, and smoke from incense curls upward like prayers. In the background rises the Viṣṇupada temple, while faint ancestral silhouettes appear in blessing, suggesting release and peace.","primary_figures":["Householder performing śrāddha","Gaya priest (purohita)","Ancestors (pitṛs) as subtle apparitions","Viṣṇu presence symbolized by Viṣṇupada (optional)"],"setting":"Gayā tīrtha precinct—riverbank/ghāṭa with ritual platforms, temple spire in distance, offerings arranged on banana leaves","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["smoky silver","deep river blue","sandalwood beige","marigold orange","temple stone gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: śrāddha ritual scene with gold leaf accents on temple spire and ritual vessels; richly patterned garments, ornate borders; Viṣṇupada shrine glowing with a golden aura; pitṛ figures rendered as translucent, haloed forms receiving offerings.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate ghāṭa scene with refined gestures—purohita instructing, householder offering piṇḍa; soft moonlight on water, temple in the distance; subtle, poetic depiction of ancestors as pale silhouettes in the sky.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic ritual composition—offerings, priest, householder, and a stylized Viṣṇu emblem; bold outlines, flat pigments, strong reds/yellows/greens contrasted with dark blue water; ancestral figures as symbolic motifs above.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Viṣṇupada motif framed by lotus borders; ritual offerings arranged symmetrically; peacocks and floral filigree around the edges; deep indigo background with gold highlights, emphasizing mokṣa-bestowing sanctity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["mantra murmurs","flowing water","soft bell","incense crackle","conch shell (distant)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yat+śrāddham → yacchrāddham; tat+koṭiguṇam → tatkoṭiguṇam; yat+tu → yattu; tat+śrāddham → tacchrāddham; tacchrāddham+apavargadam → tacchrāddhamapavargadam.
FAQs
It states that śrāddha done at certain pilgrimage places yields merit multiplied a crore-fold, indicating exceptional spiritual efficacy tied to tīrthas.
Gayā is presented as uniquely potent: śrāddha performed there is described as apavarga-dam—capable of granting liberation (mokṣa), not merely increased merit.
The verse encourages faithful performance of ancestral rites and highlights that sacred geography (tīrthas)—especially Gayā—can intensify the spiritual fruit, culminating in the ideal of liberation.