Description of the Pilgrimage to the Sacred Tīrthas
Kurukṣetra-yātrā-krama
तत्र ब्रह्मर्षिकुंडेषु स्नातः सोमफलं लभेत् । वृद्धकेदारके तीर्थे स्थाणुं दंडिसमन्वितम् ॥ ६२ ॥
tatra brahmarṣikuṃḍeṣu snātaḥ somaphalaṃ labhet | vṛddhakedārake tīrthe sthāṇuṃ daṃḍisamanvitam || 62 ||
ત્યાં બ્રહ્મર્ષિ-કુંડોમાં સ્નાન કરવાથી સોમયાગ સમાન ફળ મળે છે। અને વૃદ્ધ-કેદારક તીર્થમાં દંડધારી તપસ્વીઓ સાથે સ્થાણુ (શિવ) દેવનું દર્શન-પૂજન થાય છે।
Narada (tirtha-mahatmya narration, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue tradition)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
It teaches that tīrtha-snānā (holy bathing) and darśana/worship at specific sacred sites can confer great ritual merit—here equated with the Soma-sacrifice—highlighting the Purāṇic path of accessible sanctity through pilgrimage.
Bhakti is expressed through embodied devotion: bathing in sanctified waters and seeking darśana of the deity (Sthāṇu/Śiva) at Vṛddha-Kedāraka, indicating that sincere reverence at tīrthas is a recognized devotional practice.
It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) through the idea of “phala” (ritual result) and the equivalence of tīrtha-snānā merit to a Soma-yajña, a common Purāṇic framing of ritual efficacy.