Shloka 62
तुलसी-शङ्खचूडोपाख्यानम् — Viṣṇu’s Disguise and the Tulasī Episode
Prelude to Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Fall
जले पतंति यास्तत्र शिलास्तास्त्वतिपुण्यदाः । स्थलस्था पिंगला ज्ञेयाश्चोपतापाय चैव हि
jale pataṃti yāstatra śilāstāstvatipuṇyadāḥ | sthalasthā piṃgalā jñeyāścopatāpāya caiva hi
The stones that fall there into the water bestow exceedingly great merit. But those that remain on dry land are known as “piṅgalā”, and indeed become a cause of affliction.
Sūta Gosvāmin
Tattva Level: pasha
Sthala Purana: Normative rule within the Gaṇḍakī māhātmya: stones that enter the water become highly merit-giving; stones left on land are termed piṅgalā and bring distress—an instruction shaping pilgrimage practice (what to take/revere, what to avoid).
Significance: Encourages snāna and reverent handling of river-borne stones; warns against inauspicious/afflictive stones not sanctified by immersion.
FAQs
It distinguishes between auspicious and inauspicious conditions connected with a sacred locale: what enters the purifying element (water) is said to yield great merit, while what remains “dry” is treated as a sign linked with suffering—highlighting Shaiva emphasis on purification and right engagement with a tirtha.
In Saguna Shiva worship, sacred geography and ritual acts (like tirtha-snāna and offerings) are vehicles for grace; the verse frames water-contact as merit-bestowing, supporting the broader Purāṇic idea that approaching Shiva’s abodes with proper observance enhances auspiciousness and reduces obstacles.
A practical takeaway is tirtha-snāna (bathing in holy water) with Shiva-smaraṇa and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), while avoiding actions regarded as inauspicious at the site and maintaining ritual cleanliness.