Shloka 23
Viṣṇu as the Embodied Purāṇas and the Merit of Hearing the Svarga-khaṇḍa
सद्भिः सह वसेद्धीमान्सत्तीर्थे स्नानमाचरेत् । कुर्यादेव सदालापं सच्छास्त्रं शृणुयान्नरः
sadbhiḥ saha vaseddhīmānsattīrthe snānamācaret | kuryādeva sadālāpaṃ sacchāstraṃ śṛṇuyānnaraḥ
Que l’homme sage demeure avec les vertueux, se baigne au tīrtha sacré, entretienne sans cesse une parole qui élève, et écoute les enseignements véridiques du śāstra.
Unspecified (narrative instruction within Svarga-khaṇḍa context; likely delivered within the chapter’s teaching dialogue)
Concept: Satsanga, tīrtha-snāna, noble speech, and śāstra-śravaṇa together form a practical ladder of purification and wisdom.
Application: Choose uplifting company, keep a daily study/listening habit, and treat visits to sacred places as occasions for ethical renewal rather than tourism.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a calm riverbank tīrtha, a group of serene sādhus sits beneath an aśvattha tree while a householder-wanderer approaches with folded hands. Nearby, the pilgrim performs a respectful snāna, then returns to sit and listen as a palm-leaf scripture is read aloud, the air filled with gentle, elevating conversation.","primary_figures":["virtuous sādhus (sat)","a wise seeker/householder","optional: a guru reciting śāstra"],"setting":"Sacred river ford with stone ghats, banyan/aśvattha shade, small shrine, and a simple reading pavilion.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["river jade","saffron ochre","stone gray","leaf green","sunrise gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a tīrtha ghat scene with a small Vishnu shrine in the background, sādhus seated in a semicircle around a palm-leaf manuscript, the seeker emerging from snāna with wet hair and folded hands; gold-leaf highlights on halos, shrine lamps, and river ripples; rich reds/greens in borders and textiles.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical riverside with delicate foliage, cool water tones, and refined figures; the scripture reading shown with subtle gestures and expressive faces; soft dawn light and gentle mountain-like horizon, emphasizing calm satsanga.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined figures—sādhus with stylized eyes, the river as patterned bands, a small temple lamp-lit shrine; warm yellow-red palette with green accents, conveying ritual purity and disciplined listening.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional tīrtha tableau framed by floral borders; central river with lotus motifs, sādhus in symmetrical arrangement, peacocks at the edges, and a small Vaishnava symbol (śaṅkha-cakra) above the scripture; deep blues and gold with intricate textile patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","birds at dawn","soft hand-bell","murmured chanting"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वसेद्धीमान् = वसेत् + धीमान् (त् + ध → द्ध); सत्तीर्थे = सत् + तीर्थे (त् + त → त्त); स्नानमाचरेत् = स्नानम् + आचरेत्; कुर्यादेव = कुर्यात् + एव; सदालापं = सत् + आलापम् (त् + आ → दा by voicing in recitation; standard padaccheda: सत् + आलापम्); सच्छास्त्रं = सत् + शास्त्रम् (त् + श → च्छ); शृणुयान्नरः = शृणुयात् + नरः (त् + न → न्न)
FAQs
It recommends four supports: living with virtuous people (satsaṅga), bathing at a sacred tīrtha, maintaining uplifting conversation, and regularly listening to authoritative śāstra.
The tīrtha bath is paired with satsaṅga, noble speech, and śāstra-hearing, implying that external pilgrimage is meant to be reinforced by ethical company and right understanding.
A person becomes shaped by association and attention: keep the company of the good, cultivate pure speech, and learn from reliable teachings—these habits steadily elevate conduct and character.