Shloka 10
Glorification of the Yamunā (Yamuna Mahatmya) and Prayāga’s Step-by-Step Aśvamedha Merit
एवं ज्ञात्वा तु राजेंद्र सदा श्रद्धापरो भवेत् । अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषाः पापोपहतचेतसः । न प्राप्नुवंति तत्स्थानं प्रयागं देवनिर्मितम्
evaṃ jñātvā tu rājeṃdra sadā śraddhāparo bhavet | aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣāḥ pāpopahatacetasaḥ | na prāpnuvaṃti tatsthānaṃ prayāgaṃ devanirmitam
Dies wissend, o König, soll man stets der श्रद्धा, dem gläubigen Vertrauen, hingegeben sein. Glaubenslose Menschen, deren Geist von Sünde getroffen ist, erreichen jenen Ort nicht: Prayāga, von den Göttern geschaffen.
Unspecified (addressing a king: rājendra)
Concept: Śraddhā is the gateway to sacred attainment; sin-clouded, faithless minds fail to reach even divinely established holy places (externally or internally).
Application: Cultivate faith through daily japa, sāttvika habits, and satsanga; when visiting temples/tīrthas, approach with humility, truthfulness, and restraint.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king stands at the threshold of Prayāga’s sacred precinct, hands folded, as a radiant gateway of light opens toward the confluence. In the foreground, shadowy figures with downcast eyes turn away, their forms tangled in dark smoke symbolizing pāpa and aśraddhā, while the faithful step forward into a god-made landscape of shining water and temple spires.","primary_figures":["king (rājendra)","faithful pilgrims","shadowy faithless figures (symbolic)","subtle divine artisanship (deva-nirmita aura)"],"setting":"Entrance path to Prayāga’s ghats and saṅgama; a symbolic ‘threshold’ arch marking the transition from ordinary land to deva-nirmita tīrtha space.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["radiant gold","confluence blue","white marble","charcoal black","saffron"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: luminous Prayāga gateway with heavy gold leaf; the king and devotees in bright silks approach the saṅgama; faithless figures rendered in darker tones at the margin; ornate temple towers and flags; gold-embossed river waves and halos, rich reds/greens, traditional iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: narrative contrast—devotees moving toward a bright river confluence while a few shadowed figures linger behind; delicate brushwork, soft dawn light, cool blues and warm saffron accents; refined expressions conveying śraddhā versus inner heaviness.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines with symbolic color coding—gold/yellow for śraddhā, dark gray for pāpa; stylized Prayāga river bands and temple motifs; frontal king figure with large eyes, temple-wall aesthetic and rhythmic ornament borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central confluence as a radiant lotus; devotees in procession; border panels showing ‘śraddhā’ motifs (lamps, lotuses) contrasted with darker ‘pāpa’ motifs; deep blue and gold palette, intricate floral frames, auspicious symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["temple bells","flowing water","conch shell","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: rājeṃdra = rāja-indra; pāpopahatacetasaḥ = pāpa-upahata-cetasaḥ; tatsthānaṃ = tat-sthānam.
FAQs
It states that Prayāga—described as a divine, god-established tirtha—is not attained by those lacking śraddhā (faith), especially when their minds are weighed down by sin.
It directly instructs the listener (a king) that, after understanding the teaching, one should remain constantly devoted to śraddhā, implying inner disposition is essential for sacred attainment.
The phrase suggests sin harms clarity and receptivity of mind; ethical living and purification support spiritual access to holy places and their promised fruits.