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The Efficacy of the Sacred Forests: The Merit of Pilgrimage to Mathurā’s Twelve Groves
मथुरावासिनो ये च तीर्थानां चोपसेवकाः ॥ वनानां दर्शको वाथ मथुराक्रमकोऽपि वा ॥
mathurāvāsino ye ca tīrthānāṃ copasevakāḥ || vanānāṃ darśako vātha mathurākramako 'pi vā ||
Diejenigen, die in Mathurā wohnen, und diejenigen, die die Tīrthas verehren und ihnen dienen; ebenso wer nur die Wälder erblickt, oder gar wer einen Fuß nach Mathurā setzt—
Varāha
It records a graded notion of pilgrimage participation—residence, ritual attendance, and even simple contact/seeing—useful for studying early pilgrimage theory.
Mathurā and its associated tīrthas/forests in the Braj region.
The verse broadens access to moral benefit by valuing even minimal engagement with culturally protected landscapes.
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