Shloka 45

Matsya Purana — Glory of Tīrtha-Śrāddha: Best Times

Devanagari script

भीमेश्वरं कृष्णवेणा कावेरी कुड्मला नदी नदी गोदावरी नाम त्रिसंध्या तीर्थमुत्तमम् //

Transliteration

bhīmeśvaraṃ kṛṣṇaveṇā kāverī kuḍmalā nadī nadī godāvarī nāma trisaṃdhyā tīrthamuttamam //

Translation

Bhīmeśvara; the Kṛṣṇa–Veṇā; the Kāverī; the Kuḍmalā river; and the river named Godāvarī—these are excellent sacred fords (tīrthas), especially revered for worship at the three daily sandhyā junctions of time.

Word by Word

• bhīmeśvaram: Bhīmeśvara (a revered Śiva-tīrtha/linga site)

• kṛṣṇa-veṇā: the Kṛṣṇā and Veṇā rivers (or their confluence)

• kāverī: the Kāverī river

• kuḍmalā nadī: the Kuḍmalā river

• nadī godāvarī nāma: the river called Godāvarī

• tri-saṃdhyā: the three sandhyās (dawn, noon, dusk prayer-times)

• tīrtham: sacred ford/pilgrimage place

• uttamam: excellent/supremely meritorious

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in dialogue with Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Bhimeshvara
• Krishna (river)
• Vena (river)
• Kaveri
• Kudmala (river)
• Godavari
• Trisandhya

Tags

• Tirtha
• Rivers
• Trisandhya
• Pilgrimage
• Sacred Geography

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to a tīrtha-mahātmya style passage that catalogs sacred rivers and pilgrimage sites, emphasizing their ritual merit rather than cosmic dissolution.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

It supports the householder’s and ruler’s dharma of maintaining daily sandhyā practice and undertaking meritorious tīrtha-yātrā; it highlights that worship performed at the three sandhyās at renowned rivers/holy sites is considered especially fruitful.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual cue is tri-saṃdhyā—regular worship at dawn, noon, and dusk—performed at tīrthas like Bhīmeśvara and major rivers; the verse functions as a pilgrimage-and-ritual itinerary rather than a Vāstu/temple-construction rule.