Shloka 16
The Greatness of Prayāga: Confluence Theology and the Totality of Tīrthas
यश्चेदं शृणुयान्नित्यं तीर्थं पुण्यं सदा शुचिः । जातिस्मरत्वं लभते नाकपृष्ठे च मोदते
yaścedaṃ śṛṇuyānnityaṃ tīrthaṃ puṇyaṃ sadā śuciḥ | jātismaratvaṃ labhate nākapṛṣṭhe ca modate
Wer stets rein bleibt und regelmäßig diese heilige, verdienstvolle Erzählung vom tīrtha hört, erlangt die Gabe, frühere Geburten zu erinnern, und freut sich auf den Höhen des Himmels.
Unspecified (narratorial voice within the Svargakhaṇḍa tīrtha-māhātmya context)
Concept: Nitya-śravaṇa of tīrtha-māhātmya, with purity, grants jātismaratva and svarga-sukha—showing the salvific power of sacred hearing.
Application: Keep a steady practice of listening/reading sacred narratives; pair it with cleanliness, truthfulness, and restraint to deepen memory, clarity, and moral direction.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee sits near a tīrtha ghāṭa, hands folded, listening as a sage recites; the air around them becomes a spiral of luminous memories—faint scenes of past lives appearing like translucent murals. Above, the ‘nāka-pṛṣṭha’ opens as a radiant celestial terrace where the listener’s subtle form rejoices amid gandharva music and drifting lotuses.","primary_figures":["a reciting sage","a listening devotee","celestial gandharvas (upper register)","subtle ‘past-life’ vignettes (symbolic)"],"setting":"tīrtha riverbank with steps, banyan tree, small shrine, and a layered sky transitioning into heaven","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["celestial white","aqua blue","sunrise gold","amethyst purple","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: lower panel shows sage reciting at a ghāṭa with devotees; upper panel shows a gold-leaf heaven terrace (nāka-pṛṣṭha) with gandharvas and lotuses; heavy gold leaf on halos, celestial architecture, and Sanskrit scroll motifs; rich reds/greens in garments, ornate jewelry, and decorative borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: two-tier composition—riverbank listening scene below with delicate trees and temple; above, a soft luminous heaven with airy clouds and refined celestial figures; cool blues and pinks, gentle gradients, lyrical storytelling with miniature past-life scenes floating like translucent panels.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and stylized ghāṭa; a large radiant heaven band above with symmetrical gandharvas; memory-visions depicted as framed medallions around the listener; traditional pigment palette with strong yellows, reds, and greens, emphasizing sacred power.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central listening devotee framed by lotus borders; repeating motifs of conch, discus, and tulasi leaves as auspicious fillers; upper field deep blue with gold celestial terrace and dancing gandharvas; intricate floral patterns suggesting ‘nitya-śravaṇa’ as continuous garland."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","tanpura drone","distant conch","soft choral hum (gandharva-like)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यश्चेदं = यः च इदम्; शृणुयान्नित्यम् = शृणुयात् नित्यम्; नाकपृष्ठे = नाक-पृष्ठे (समास)
FAQs
Śravaṇa—regularly listening to the sacred account (māhātmya) of a tīrtha—is praised as a purifying and merit-producing act.
The verse states two results: jātismaratva (memory of previous births) and enjoyment in heaven (nākapṛṣṭhe modate).
It links purity (śuciḥ) and consistent devotional discipline (nityam śṛṇuyāt) with elevated spiritual outcomes, presenting steady, reverent listening as a valid path of merit.