Shloka 13
The Glory of Prayāga: Merit of Bathing, Remembrance, and Divine Protection
मृत्तिका लभनाद्वापि नरः पापाद्विमुच्यते । पंचकुंडानि राजेंद्र येषां मध्ये तु जाह्नवी
mṛttikā labhanādvāpi naraḥ pāpādvimucyate | paṃcakuṃḍāni rājeṃdra yeṣāṃ madhye tu jāhnavī
O König der Könige, selbst durch das Erlangen dieses heiligen Lehms wird der Mensch von Sünde befreit. Es gibt fünf heilige Kuṇḍas, und in ihrer Mitte fließt die Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā).
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (addressing a king: 'rājendra')
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Sandhi Resolution Notes: लभनाद्वापि → लभनात् + वा + अपि; पापाद्विमुच्यते → पापात् + विमुच्यते; राजेंद्र → राजेन्द्र (ए/इ sandhi in some recensions).
FAQs
The verse states that merely acquiring the sacred clay associated with the tīrtha is itself purifying and can remove sin, emphasizing the sanctity of the place and its ritual substances.
Jāhnavī is a revered epithet of the river Gaṅgā. Her presence “in the midst” of the five sacred pools highlights the tīrtha’s exceptional holiness and its association with Gaṅgā’s purifying power.
It teaches reverence for sacred places and their ritual elements, and encourages pilgrimage and pure conduct by presenting purification as accessible—even through contact with sanctified earth connected to a holy site.