Shloka 120
Tīrtha-Māhātmya Sequence: Sacred Fords, Baths, Gifts, and Śrāddha
Narmadā-Belt Itinerary
यदा च तीर्थकालेन रूपवान्सुभगो भवेत् । मर्त्ये भवति राजासावासमुद्रांतगोचरे
yadā ca tīrthakālena rūpavānsubhago bhavet | martye bhavati rājāsāvāsamudrāṃtagocare
Und wenn einer durch die glückverheißende Zeit der Pilgerfahrt (tīrtha-Zeit) schön und begünstigt wird, wird er in der Welt der Sterblichen als König geboren, dessen Herrschaft bis an die Grenzen der Meere reicht.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Svarga-khaṇḍa Adhyaya 18)
Concept: Tīrtha-kāla (right sacred time) amplifies puṇya, yielding both inner refinement and outer fortune.
Application: Plan pilgrimages, vows, and charity on auspicious days; align personal discipline with sacred calendars; use prosperity as a vehicle for dharma rather than indulgence.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A pilgrim at a sacred ford at the exact auspicious hour—conch sounding, priests marking the moment—receives a subtle divine radiance that transforms his aura into regal splendor. In the distance, a coronation vision appears: a king seated on a lion-throne, his realm stretching to the ocean’s horizon.","primary_figures":["pilgrim devotee","Vishnu (subtle presence/sky-form)","tīrtha priests","celestial attendants (gandharvas/apsarases)"],"setting":"riverbank tīrtha with ghats, calendrical pavilion, distant sea-horizon as symbolic backdrop","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron gold","river-jade green","lotus pink","conch white","deep sapphire"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: auspicious tīrtha-ghat at dawn with a devotee receiving Viṣṇu’s unseen grace, a visionary coronation vignette above the horizon, heavy gold leaf halos, rich vermilion and emerald drapery, gem-studded ornaments, ornate arch framing the river steps, traditional South Indian iconographic detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical riverside scene with delicate figures timing the sacred moment, soft mist over water, a faint celestial coronation vision in the sky, cool blues and greens with warm saffron accents, refined faces, fine linework, distant ocean band as symbolic boundary.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined tīrtha-ghat with stylized waves and lotus motifs, devotee in reverent posture, Viṣṇu’s presence as a radiant mandala above, strong red-yellow-green palette, temple-wall aesthetic, large expressive eyes, rhythmic ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: tīrtha-time celebration with lotus borders, conch and bell motifs, a central devotee at the water’s edge, peacocks and floral festoons, a symbolic ocean ring encircling a regal throne vignette, deep indigo background with gold highlights and intricate patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","flowing water","conch shell","soft crowd murmur","distant seabreeze"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: रूपवान्सुभगः = रूपवान् सुभगः (न् + स → न्स); राजासौ = राजा असौ (आ + अ → आ); आसमुद्रांतगोचरे = आ-समुद्र-अन्त-गोचरे (अन्त + गोचर)
FAQs
It presents a phala-śruti style claim: proper observance connected with a tīrtha and its auspicious timing yields worldly excellence—beauty, fortune, and even royal birth with vast sovereignty.
It is a conventional epithet for universal or near-universal kingship: rule extending to the sea-borders, i.e., across the whole land bounded by oceans.
It underscores the value of disciplined religious practice—especially pilgrimage undertaken at proper times—framing it as karma that matures into prosperity and authority in future births.