Shloka 7
Puruṣottama-kṣetra Māhātmya: Śveta-Mādhava & Matsya-Mādhava; Mārkaṇḍeya-tīrtha Mārjana and Bath Liturgy
स्पृष्ट्वा स्वर्गं गमिष्यंति विष्णुभक्ताः समाहिताः । यस्त्विमां प्रतिमां पश्येन्माधवाख्यां शशिप्रभाम् ॥ ७ ॥
spṛṣṭvā svargaṃ gamiṣyaṃti viṣṇubhaktāḥ samāhitāḥ | yastvimāṃ pratimāṃ paśyenmādhavākhyāṃ śaśiprabhām || 7 ||
By touching it, the devotees of Viṣṇu, steadfast in collected mind, will attain heaven. And whoever beholds this image—known as Mādhava, radiant like the moon—gains that same merit.
Suta (narrating the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that contact (touch) and darśana (beholding) of the Mādhava (Viṣṇu) image, when done with a focused devotional mind, grants powerful merit culminating in attainment of svarga.
Bhakti is presented as embodied practice: a devotee’s inner concentration (samāhita) is expressed through reverent interaction with Viṣṇu’s pratimā—touching and seeing—showing that devotion is both mental and ritual.
The verse primarily reflects ritual application (arcana and darśana within tirtha-mahātmya) rather than a specific Vedāṅga; it implies correct worship-procedure and purity of intent as the practical takeaway.