Shloka 59
The Glory of Dhātrī (Āmalakī) and Tulasī: Ekādaśī Observance and Protection from Preta States
हिताय वदनस्तूर्णं सर्वलोकहितं परम् । द्विजा ऊचुः । येन चैव कृतं स्नानं जले तीर्थस्य धीमता
hitāya vadanastūrṇaṃ sarvalokahitaṃ param | dvijā ūcuḥ | yena caiva kṛtaṃ snānaṃ jale tīrthasya dhīmatā
Zum Wohle aller sprach er unverzüglich die höchste Lehre, die allen Welten Heil bringt. Die Zweimalgeborenen sagten: „Durch welchen Weisen wurde das Bad im Wasser dieses heiligen Tīrtha vollzogen?“
Dwijas (brāhmaṇas) (the verse explicitly says “dvijā ūcuḥ”)
Concept: Tīrtha-snāna, when performed with wisdom and right intention, is taught as ‘sarva-loka-hita’—a universally beneficial dharma that can counteract heavy karmic states.
Application: Approach pilgrimages with ethical preparation (truth, restraint), perform snāna with mantra and humility, and translate the ‘tīrtha-mind’ into daily life through cleanliness, compassion, and remembrance of Hari.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Brāhmaṇas, intent on the welfare of all beings, lean forward as if to unveil a sacred origin-story. Behind them glimmers a calm tīrtha pool, its surface reflecting a faint celestial light, suggesting that a wise act of bathing once sanctified the waters.","primary_figures":["dvijas (brāhmaṇas)","implied wise pilgrim (dhīmat)","attentive spirits/listeners (optional)"],"setting":"river-ford with stone steps (ghāṭa), kuśa grass, small altar, banyan/peepal shade","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["sunrise gold","river turquoise","sandalwood beige","leaf green","vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dvijas seated on a ghāṭa with palm-leaf texts, gesturing toward a luminous tīrtha-kunda; gold leaf on water highlights and halos; rich reds and greens, ornate borders, traditional South Indian sacred architecture in background.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: dawn at a mountain-fed river ford; delicate steps, soft mist, dvijas in white with saffron shawls; the tīrtha water painted with fine ripples; cool greens and blues with warm sunrise wash, lyrical naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized ghāṭa and river band, dvijas with bold outlines and expressive eyes; warm yellow-red palette with green accents; a small shrine and lamp; didactic composition emphasizing the question about the tīrtha’s founding bath.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central tīrtha pool as a lotus-like circle, dvijas arranged symmetrically; floral borders with lotuses and vines; deep blue-to-gold gradient background; intricate patterns on steps and water, devotional symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","morning birds","soft bell","conch (distant)","page rustle"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चैव = च + एव; वदनस्तूर्णम् = वदन् + तूर्णम् (सन्धि/संयोग).
FAQs
It frames bathing at a tīrtha as a noteworthy, merit-bearing act, important enough that the brāhmaṇas inquire about the wise person responsible for it.
It depicts a teaching presented “for the welfare of all worlds,” followed by a respectful inquiry by the brāhmaṇas—showing dharma as something taught for universal good and clarified through question-and-answer.
The question highlights discernment and reverence: they seek the agent behind a sacred act, implying that wisdom and right conduct (not mere action alone) are central to religious merit.