Shloka 91
The Glory of Śrāddha at Sacred Fords and the Determination of the Kutapa Time
श्राद्धस्य लक्षणं कालमिति प्राहुर्मनीषिणः । तिलोदकांजलिर्देयो जलांते तीर्थवासिभिः
śrāddhasya lakṣaṇaṃ kālamiti prāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ | tilodakāṃjalirdeyo jalāṃte tīrthavāsibhiḥ
Die Weisen erklären: Das Kennzeichen des Śrāddha-Ritus ist die rechte Zeit. Wer an heiligen Furtstätten (tīrtha) weilt, soll am Wasserrand ein Añjali aus Wasser mit Sesam darbringen.
Unspecified (narratorial injunction within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa context)
Concept: The essence (lakṣaṇa) of śrāddha is correct timing; at tirthas, offering tila-mixed water at the water’s edge is a direct, efficacious act of ancestral nourishment and self-purification.
Application: Honor elders and ancestors through timely remembrance; keep a disciplined schedule for duties; when near water, practice mindful offerings (even symbolic) with gratitude and restraint.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At a broad, calm ford, pilgrims and local tīrtha-dwellers stand in a line at the water’s edge, each offering an añjali of sesame-mixed water. The surface ripples outward in concentric circles, and within the ripples faint ancestral faces appear serene, as if receiving nourishment through time’s correct doorway.","primary_figures":["tīrtha-vāsins (local ritual practitioners)","pilgrims","pitṛs (subtle, reflected in water)"],"setting":"wide river ghat with stone steps, small shrines, brass pots, sesame bowl, and darbha bundles; banyan tree shade nearby","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm sandstone","river teal","brass gold","sesame black","white cotton"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: ghat steps with multiple figures offering añjali, gold leaf on brass vessels and shrine lamps, rich red-green garments, ornate border with lotus motifs, subtle pitṛ reflections in the water rendered with delicate gold highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant river ghat with soft atmospheric perspective, delicate ripples, restrained palette, refined figures in white, banyan leaves detailed, faint ancestral visages in the water like a poetic illusion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized ghat and river bands, bold outlines of figures in offering posture, repeating sesame-dot motifs in the water, red-yellow-green palette, temple-wall framing with ritual clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical ghat composition with lotus borders, peacocks perched on shrine roofs, deep blue river with gold ripples, figures offering añjali in rhythmic repetition, intricate floral patterns around sesame and darbha motifs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","ghat footsteps","soft bell ringing","murmured mantras","conch shell (distant)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कालमिति = कालम् + इति; प्राहुर्मनीषिणः = प्राहुः + मनीषिणः; तिलोदकांजलिः = तिल + उदक + अञ्जलिः; जलांते = जल + अन्ते
FAQs
Because śrāddha is considered effective when performed at the appropriate prescribed time; the verse emphasizes that correct timing is central to the rite’s validity and fruit.
It is an offering of water mixed with sesame (tila), presented as a cupped handful (añjali), typically made at the riverbank or water’s edge as part of śrāddha-related observance.
It highlights disciplined observance (right time, right method) and reverence at tīrthas—showing that sincerity is expressed through careful adherence to dharmic procedure.