Shloka 16
The Greatness of Prayāga: Confluence Theology and the Totality of Tīrthas
यश्चेदं शृणुयान्नित्यं तीर्थं पुण्यं सदा शुचिः । जातिस्मरत्वं लभते नाकपृष्ठे च मोदते
yaścedaṃ śṛṇuyānnityaṃ tīrthaṃ puṇyaṃ sadā śuciḥ | jātismaratvaṃ labhate nākapṛṣṭhe ca modate
Quien, permaneciendo siempre puro, escucha regularmente este relato sagrado y meritorio del tīrtha, obtiene el don de recordar nacimientos pasados y se regocija en las alturas del cielo.
Unspecified (narratorial voice within the Svargakhaṇḍa tīrtha-māhātmya context)
Concept: Nitya-śravaṇa of tīrtha-māhātmya, with purity, grants jātismaratva and svarga-sukha—showing the salvific power of sacred hearing.
Application: Keep a steady practice of listening/reading sacred narratives; pair it with cleanliness, truthfulness, and restraint to deepen memory, clarity, and moral direction.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee sits near a tīrtha ghāṭa, hands folded, listening as a sage recites; the air around them becomes a spiral of luminous memories—faint scenes of past lives appearing like translucent murals. Above, the ‘nāka-pṛṣṭha’ opens as a radiant celestial terrace where the listener’s subtle form rejoices amid gandharva music and drifting lotuses.","primary_figures":["a reciting sage","a listening devotee","celestial gandharvas (upper register)","subtle ‘past-life’ vignettes (symbolic)"],"setting":"tīrtha riverbank with steps, banyan tree, small shrine, and a layered sky transitioning into heaven","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["celestial white","aqua blue","sunrise gold","amethyst purple","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: lower panel shows sage reciting at a ghāṭa with devotees; upper panel shows a gold-leaf heaven terrace (nāka-pṛṣṭha) with gandharvas and lotuses; heavy gold leaf on halos, celestial architecture, and Sanskrit scroll motifs; rich reds/greens in garments, ornate jewelry, and decorative borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: two-tier composition—riverbank listening scene below with delicate trees and temple; above, a soft luminous heaven with airy clouds and refined celestial figures; cool blues and pinks, gentle gradients, lyrical storytelling with miniature past-life scenes floating like translucent panels.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and stylized ghāṭa; a large radiant heaven band above with symmetrical gandharvas; memory-visions depicted as framed medallions around the listener; traditional pigment palette with strong yellows, reds, and greens, emphasizing sacred power.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central listening devotee framed by lotus borders; repeating motifs of conch, discus, and tulasi leaves as auspicious fillers; upper field deep blue with gold celestial terrace and dancing gandharvas; intricate floral patterns suggesting ‘nitya-śravaṇa’ as continuous garland."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","tanpura drone","distant conch","soft choral hum (gandharva-like)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यश्चेदं = यः च इदम्; शृणुयान्नित्यम् = शृणुयात् नित्यम्; नाकपृष्ठे = नाक-पृष्ठे (समास)
FAQs
Śravaṇa—regularly listening to the sacred account (māhātmya) of a tīrtha—is praised as a purifying and merit-producing act.
The verse states two results: jātismaratva (memory of previous births) and enjoyment in heaven (nākapṛṣṭhe modate).
It links purity (śuciḥ) and consistent devotional discipline (nityam śṛṇuyāt) with elevated spiritual outcomes, presenting steady, reverent listening as a valid path of merit.