Shloka 120
The Tale of the Five Pretas and the Glory of Puṣkara & the Eastern Sarasvatī
प्राची सेति बुधैर्ज्ञेया ब्रह्मणो वचनं तथा । तत्र शुद्धावटंनाम तीर्थं पैतामहं स्मृतम्
prācī seti budhairjñeyā brahmaṇo vacanaṃ tathā | tatra śuddhāvaṭaṃnāma tīrthaṃ paitāmahaṃ smṛtam
Gemäß dem Wort Brahmās sollen die Weisen erkennen, dass es «Prācī» genannt wird. Dort wird eine heilige Furt namens Śuddhāvaṭa als ein dem Großvater (Brahmā) zugehöriges Tīrtha in Erinnerung gehalten.
Unspecified narrator (contextual dialogue not provided in the input)
Concept: Sacred geography is validated by śruti-smṛti authority: a tīrtha is known through Brahmā’s word and the memory of the wise.
Application: Seek guidance from reliable tradition (guru/śāstra) when choosing practices and pilgrimages; let ‘purity’ (śuddhi) be the criterion, not novelty.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A venerable banyan tree rises like a living pillar at the edge of a quiet ford, its aerial roots forming natural arches over a stone-marked ghāṭa. A subtle inscription-like aura—‘Prācī’—seems to hover in the air, as if Brahmā’s decree has become landscape, while pilgrims pause in hushed recognition of an ancient name.","primary_figures":["Brahmā (as subtle visionary presence or icon)","Pilgrims/sages (optional)"],"setting":"Śuddhāvaṭa-tīrtha: banyan-shaded river ford with worn steps, small Brahmā shrine or lotus-emblem altar, ritual vessels placed neatly on the sand.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["banyan green","sandstone beige","sunrise amber","copper brown","sky pale blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Central massive Śuddhāvaṭa banyan with gold-leaf highlights on leaves and roots; a small Brahmā icon in a niche with ornate prabhāmaṇḍala, pilgrims offering water at the ghāṭa; rich reds/greens, embossed gold borders, temple-arch framing, jewel-like detailing on vessels and crowns.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: A lyrical banyan by a gentle ford, thin ink lines for roots, soft washes for dawn sky; a discreet Brahmā shrine with lotus motif, sages pointing as if naming ‘Prācī’; cool natural palette with delicate amber accents, intimate scale and poetic stillness.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Stylized banyan with rhythmic leaf clusters, bold outlines; Brahmā depicted with four faces in a small sanctum panel, pilgrims in profile; warm earthy reds and yellows, temple-wall texture, ornamental borders and symmetrical composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Decorative banyan canopy forming an ornate mandala-like frame around a central tīrtha-ghāṭa; lotus and vine borders, small Brahmā emblem at center; deep blue ground with gold and white detailing, patterned water ripples and floral motifs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","wooden temple clappers","soft bell chimes","rustling leaves","low tanpura drone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सेति = सा + इति; बुधैर्ज्ञेया = बुधैः + ज्ञेया; शुद्धावटंनाम = शुद्धावटं + नाम; पदच्छेदे ‘शुद्धावटं नाम’ इति।
FAQs
It identifies a specific sacred locality—Prācī—and situates within it the tīrtha called Śuddhāvaṭa, showing how the text maps holiness onto named regions and pilgrimage sites.
Rather than prescribing a ritual here, the verse grounds the tīrtha’s authority in revered tradition (Brahmā’s word and remembrance), a common Purāṇic bhakti pattern where faith in sacred places and transmitted testimony supports devotion.
It highlights epistemic humility: the wise are those who recognize and preserve authoritative sacred memory (smṛti) and respect the sanctity of places associated with divine figures.