यथा हि कटुतिक्तादि गवा ग्रस्तं हि क्षीरदम् । एवमेतत्त्विदं तोयं पितॄणां तृप्ति दायकम्
yathā hi kaṭutiktādi gavā grastaṃ hi kṣīradam | evametattvidaṃ toyaṃ pitṝṇāṃ tṛpti dāyakam
Wie eine Kuh Scharfes und Bitteres frisst und dennoch Milch gibt, so schenkt auch dieses Wasser wahrhaftig den Pitṛs Zufriedenheit.
Devas (illustrating the principle with an analogy)
Tirtha: Mahī-tīrtha
Type: sangam
Scene: A cow grazing on bitter herbs in the foreground; in the background, devotees offer tarpaṇa at brackish water; a sage explains the analogy, linking milk’s purity to the tīrtha’s spiritual potency.
Outer qualities do not limit inner efficacy; sacred intention and tīrtha-power make the rite fruitful.
The Mahī–Sāgara Saṅgama tīrtha (context of saline water and Pitṛ rites).
It supports the acceptability of using the local water for Pitṛ-tarpaṇa/snāna by explaining its spiritual efficacy.