Shloka 17
अकामो वा सकामो वा तत्र स्नात्वा तु मानवः । आजन्मजनितैः पापैर्मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
akāmo vā sakāmo vā tatra snātvā tu mānavaḥ | ājanmajanitaiḥ pāpairmucyate nātra saṃśayaḥ
Qu’il soit sans désir ou animé de désirs, l’homme qui s’y baigne est délivré des péchés accumulés depuis la naissance ; là-dessus, point de doute.
Unspecified (narrative voice within the Adhyaya)
Concept: Sacred bathing, when done with faith, burns accumulated pāpa regardless of one’s initial motivation.
Application: Begin spiritual practice even if motivations are mixed; keep returning to purifying disciplines (snāna, japa, charity) until desire refines into devotion.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A diverse group of pilgrims—some austere and silent, others carrying offerings with worldly hopes—step into the sacred water together. As they immerse, the river glows with a subtle divine sheen, suggesting sins dissolving like dark ink dispersing in clear water, while the tīrtha’s promise stands unwavering.","primary_figures":["Pilgrims (akāma and sakāma types)","Subtle personification of the tīrtha’s presiding śakti"],"setting":"Broad ghāṭa with steps, prayer flags or cloths drying, small lamps on the bank, trees arching overhead.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","pearl white","sunlit gold","smoky violet","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: radiant river with gold-leaf highlights on waves, multiple devotees entering water—ascetic with matted hair and householder with offerings—celestial aura above the tīrtha, ornate borders, rich reds/greens, gold embellishment emphasizing ‘nātra saṃśayaḥ’ certainty.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle river immersion scene, expressive yet restrained faces showing hope and serenity, cool blues and soft greens, delicate ripples, distant temple spire, refined brushwork and lyrical atmosphere.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized ghāṭa and waves, bold outlines, devotees in simplified forms, a luminous halo-like band over the water indicating purification, warm reds/yellows/greens with black contouring.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: patterned water filled with lotus rosettes, pilgrims arranged rhythmically along steps, ornate floral borders, deep indigo field with gold accents, peacocks perched near lamps, devotional symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","ghāṭa ambience","soft conch shell","temple bells"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pāpairmucyate = pāpaiḥ mucyate; nātra = na atra
FAQs
It teaches that bathing at the specified sacred place (tīrtha) purifies a person, removing sins accumulated over one’s life, regardless of whether one approaches with desires or without them.
It mentions both—desireless (akāma) and desire-motivated (sakāma)—and affirms purification for either, emphasizing the tīrtha’s sanctifying power rather than the bather’s motive.
It encourages sincere engagement with purifying spiritual practices (like tīrtha-snān) and highlights hope for moral renewal: past wrongdoing is not final, and transformation is possible through sacred discipline.