Shloka 42
Description of the Pilgrimage to the Sacred Tīrthas
Kurukṣetra-yātrā-krama
वारयेत्पापिनः स्नानात्तथा सुकृतिनो नयेत् । ततो रामह्रदं गच्छेत्स्नात्वा तत्र विधानतः ॥ ४२ ॥
vārayetpāpinaḥ snānāttathā sukṛtino nayet | tato rāmahradaṃ gacchetsnātvā tatra vidhānataḥ || 42 ||
One should prevent sinners from bathing (there), and likewise escort the meritorious to bathe. Then one should proceed to Rāma-hrada and, bathing there according to rule, perform the prescribed rites.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It stresses that tirtha-bathing is not merely physical cleansing but a regulated sacred act: the place is to be protected from impure conduct while the virtuous are guided to perform snāna and the required rites properly.
By emphasizing vidhāna (proper ordinance) and moral fitness, the verse frames pilgrimage and bathing as disciplined devotional practice—approaching holy waters with reverence, right conduct, and guided participation.
Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied through “vidhānataḥ,” indicating rule-based performance of snāna and associated rites at a tirtha, including guidance on eligibility and correct observance.