Shloka 2
Prayāga–Gaṅgā Tīrtha-māhātmya and Rules of Pilgrimage
Yātrā-vidhi
प्रयागतीर्थयात्रार्थो यः प्रयाति नरः क्वचित् / बलीवर्दं समारूढः शृणु तस्यापि यत्फलम्
prayāgatīrthayātrārtho yaḥ prayāti naraḥ kvacit / balīvardaṃ samārūḍhaḥ śṛṇu tasyāpi yatphalam
Écoute maintenant le fruit qu’obtient même cet homme qui, de quelque lieu qu’il parte, s’en va en pèlerinage vers le tīrtha sacré de Prayāga, monté sur un taureau (ou un bœuf).
Suta (narrator) conveying the Purana’s teaching on tirtha-yatra fruits (within the Kurma Purana discourse)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
This verse is a phala-introduction to pilgrimage merit rather than an Atman-definition; its emphasis is on dharmic intention (yātrārtha) and the transformative power of sacred space (tīrtha) as a support for purification that later enables Self-knowledge.
No specific yogic technique is taught in this line; it frames tīrtha-yātrā as an auxiliary discipline (a dharmic sādhana) that supports inner purity—often treated in Purāṇic tradition as a preparatory aid for japa, vrata, and contemplation.
The verse does not explicitly name Shiva or Vishnu; it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative approach by presenting tīrtha (sacred geography) as a shared dharmic framework honored across Shaiva-Vaishnava practice.