Shloka 5
Narmadā–Tīrtha-Māhātmya: Sequence of Sacred Fords and Their Fruits
ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र तीर्थमाम्रातकेश्वरम् / तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन् गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
tato gaccheta rājendra tīrthamāmrātakeśvaram / tatra snātvā naro rājan gosahasraphalaṃ labhet
Then, O best of kings, one should proceed to the sacred ford of Āmrātakeśvara. Having bathed there, O King, a man attains merit equal to the gift of a thousand cows.
Sūta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s tirtha-mahātmya teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
Indirectly, by emphasizing purification through tīrtha-snāna and dharmic merit; such outer disciplines are presented in the Purāṇic framework as supports that steady the mind, making it fit for inward realization of the Self taught more explicitly elsewhere in the text.
The verse highlights tīrtha-snāna as a preparatory sādhana—ritual purification and restraint aligned with dharma—which in the Kurma tradition functions as an external limb supporting inner yoga (śama, niyama, and devotional orientation) rather than as a standalone liberation method.
By directing the pilgrim to Āmrātakeśvara (a Śiva-related tīrtha) within a Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa’s narrative stream, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: honoring Śiva-tīrthas and Śaiva merit-structures as harmonious with Vaiṣṇava devotion and Purāṇic dharma.