Shloka 9
The Glory of Gayā and the Pilgrimage Circuit of Allied Tīrthas
कपिला सहवत्सा वै पर्वते विचरत्युतः । सवत्सायाः पदान्यस्या दृश्यंतेऽद्यापि भारत
kapilā sahavatsā vai parvate vicaratyutaḥ | savatsāyāḥ padānyasyā dṛśyaṃte'dyāpi bhārata
O Bhārata, die fahlgelbe Kuh Kapilā wandert wahrlich mitsamt ihrem Kalb auf dem Berge umher; und noch heute sieht man dort die Hufspuren jener Kuh mit ihrem Jungen.
Unspecified (addressing Bhārata)
Concept: The sacred is not only remembered but encountered—divine merit leaves imprints in the world that invite faith and reverence.
Application: Cultivate reverence for ‘small evidences’ of goodness: protect cows/animals, honor places of worship, and treat nature as a carrier of sacred memory.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: mountain
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a wind-swept mountain slope, a tawny Kapilā cow walks gently with her calf, bells chiming softly, while pilgrims point to ancient hoofprints impressed in stone as if the rock itself became tender. Wildflowers and sacred grasses frame the path, and the atmosphere feels like a living legend made visible.","primary_figures":["Kapilā cow","calf","pilgrims/sages pointing to hoofprints"],"setting":"mountain trail with exposed rock bearing hoofprint impressions, sparse trees, small shrine-marker stones","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["tawny ochre","stone gray","wildflower violet","sky pale blue","saffron-gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Kapilā with ornate bell and garland, calf close by, pilgrims in rich garments, hoofprints rendered with embossed gold outlines on a stone slab, decorative floral borders, warm reds/greens with gold leaf highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: pastoral mountain scene with delicate grasses and flowers, Kapilā in soft ochres, calf in lighter cream, pilgrims in muted robes, fine-line hoofprints on rock, airy Himalayan-like landscape and gentle dawn gradient.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized cow and calf with bold outlines, rhythmic mountain contours, hoofprints as iconic motifs, strong earthy pigments, temple mural framing with ornamental bands.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Kapilā and calf surrounded by lotus and floral borders, symmetrical peacocks at corners, hoofprint motifs repeated as sacred pattern, deep blue or maroon ground with gold detailing and intricate textile ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["cow bells","mountain breeze","distant birds","soft chanting"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दृश्यंतेऽद्यापि = दृश्यन्ते + अद्यापि (ए + अ → एऽ); अन्य sandhi minimal.
FAQs
It presents a physical, enduring marker (hoofprints) on a mountain as evidence of a sacred event, reinforcing how tīrthas are remembered through visible signs in the landscape.
Kapilā is described as a tawny cow accompanied by her calf; the verse treats her presence and hoofprints as noteworthy and still observable.
The verse highlights reverence for sacred places and the tradition of preserving memory of holy events through tangible markers, encouraging pilgrimage-minded remembrance and faith in transmitted accounts.