Shloka 77
The Tale of the Five Pretas and the Glory of Puṣkara & the Eastern Sarasvatī
तीर्थानां प्रवरं तीर्थं पृथिव्यामिह पठ्यते । नास्मात्परं पुण्यतीर्थं लोकेषु नृप पठ्यते
tīrthānāṃ pravaraṃ tīrthaṃ pṛthivyāmiha paṭhyate | nāsmātparaṃ puṇyatīrthaṃ lokeṣu nṛpa paṭhyate
Es wird gelehrt, dass dies das vorzüglichste aller Tīrthas auf Erden ist. O König, in allen Welten wird kein heiligeres Tīrtha als dieses gelehrt.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (addressed to a king: nṛpa).
Concept: Certain tīrthas are proclaimed as ‘pravarāṇi’ (foremost) to concentrate devotion and encourage decisive dharmic action (snāna, dāna, vrata) there.
Application: Choose one sacred practice-place (a temple, tīrtha, or home altar) and serve it consistently; depth of reverence matters more than restless comparison.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A grand, elevated view of the sacred tīrtha with concentric ghāṭas and temples, as if the whole landscape is a mandala. A king stands with folded hands while a sage points toward the water, and in the sky a subtle cosmic map suggests ‘all worlds’ acknowledging this place’s holiness.","primary_figures":["a sage-teacher","a king (nṛpa)","pilgrims","guardian deities (dikpālas, subtle)"],"setting":"Vast tīrtha panorama with lake/ford, temple spires, processional path, and banners","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["royal blue","antique gold","vermillion","ivory","teal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: majestic Puṣkara tīrtha mandala-panorama, sage and king in the foreground, pilgrims on ghāṭas, temple towers with gold leaf, celestial register showing ‘all worlds’ as small luminous orbs; heavy gold embellishment, rich reds/greens, ornate jewelry and arches.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: wide scenic vista with delicate architecture, sage instructing the king, soft atmospheric perspective, distant hills; cool palette with lyrical naturalism and refined faces, subtle cosmic symbolism in the sky.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: tiered composition—foreground sage and king, middle ghāṭa and pilgrims, upper celestial band with symbolic worlds; bold outlines, natural pigments, temple-wall grandeur.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical tīrtha scene framed by intricate floral borders, central water body with lotus motifs, rows of devotees, upper band with stylized celestial spheres; deep blues and gold, devotional ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","temple bells","crowd chant of 'Hari'","drum (mridanga) soft pulse","water ambience"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पृथिव्यामिह = पृथिव्याम् + इह. नास्मात्परं = न + अस्मात् + परम्. पुण्यतीर्थं = पुण्य + तीर्थम्.
FAQs
It proclaims a particular tīrtha as the foremost on earth, stating that no superior or more meritorious pilgrimage place is taught anywhere in the worlds.
The verse explicitly addresses a king, but the specific identity is not contained in the excerpt; it depends on the surrounding narrative of Adhyaya 32.
The verse encourages prioritizing a highly praised sacred site and implies that sincere pilgrimage and reverence to renowned tīrthas is considered especially merit-producing (puṇya) within Purāṇic tradition.