Shloka 11
The Deeds of Cyavana
in the Context of Guru-tirtha Glorification
किं तीर्थं प्राप्य मुच्येत ब्रह्मघ्नो ब्रह्महत्यया । सुरापोमुच्यतेपापाद्गोघ्नोहेमापहारकः
kiṃ tīrthaṃ prāpya mucyeta brahmaghno brahmahatyayā | surāpomucyatepāpādgoghnohemāpahārakaḥ
¿Al alcanzar qué tīrtha queda libre de la culpa de brahmahatyā quien mata a un brāhmaṇa? ¿Y por cuál tīrtha se libera del pecado el bebedor de licor, así como el matador de una vaca y el ladrón de oro?
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses; commonly framed as a question within a dialogue such as Pulastya–Bhīṣma in Bhūmi-khaṇḍa).
Concept: Sin has consequences, yet dharma provides structured paths of expiation; tīrtha is not a loophole but a transformative discipline when paired with repentance and right conduct.
Application: Do not normalize wrongdoing; if harm is done, seek restitution, confession to a trusted guide, disciplined penance, and sustained ethical reform—ritual without reform is incomplete.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A troubled seeker kneels at the edge of a sacred ford, hands trembling as dark, smoky forms—symbols of mahāpātaka—coil behind him like shadows. Across the water, a luminous tīrtha-shrine glows, and a compassionate sage points toward the path of snāna and penance, suggesting hope without minimizing the gravity of the sins.","primary_figures":["Questioner (pilgrim/seeker)","Sage/teacher figure","Personified shadows of pāpa (symbolic)","Tīrtha-deity icon (distant)"],"setting":"A stark river confluence with stone steps, a small shrine, and a penitential atmosphere; offerings of sesame, water-pot, and kusa grass visible.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["ink black","ash gray","river silver","lamp gold","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic penitence scene at a ghāṭa; seeker in humble posture, sage indicating the shrine; gold-leaf radiance around the deity and lamps contrasts with dark pāpa-shadows; ornate temple arch, rich reds and greens, gem-like highlights on ritual vessels.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: night confluence with silver water and delicate steps; seeker and sage rendered with refined emotion; faint smoky silhouettes behind; cool palette, subtle lamp glow, lyrical yet grave mood.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: symbolic composition—dark pāpa forms as stylized serpentine shapes, bright shrine aura; bold outlines, strong contrast of black/indigo with yellow-red lamp tones; didactic temple-wall storytelling feel.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central river with lotus motifs subdued; penitential figures small but expressive; ornate border with repeating sesame/kalasha motifs; deep blue ground with gold lamps, emphasizing purification through sacred water."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["low temple gong","river at night","distant conch","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: surāpomucyatepāpād → surā-paḥ mucyate pāpāt; goghnohemāpahārakaḥ → go-ghnaḥ hema-apahārakaḥ.
FAQs
It asks which specific pilgrimage place has the power to liberate a person from grave sins (mahāpātakas) such as brahminicide, drinking liquor, killing a cow, and stealing gold.
The verse underscores moral gravity: these acts are presented as severe transgressions, prompting inquiry into expiation, purification, and the disciplined pursuit of remedy through sanctioned sacred means.
No. This śloka is framed as a question; the answer (the name of the tīrtha and the method) is expected in the surrounding verses of the chapter.