Shloka 42
The Origin of the Lauhitya River
and the King of Tīrthas
तच्छ्रुत्वा जामदग्न्यस्तु तीर्थानि प्रययौ तदा । गंगां सरस्वतीं शुभ्रां कावेरीं सरयूं तथा
tacchrutvā jāmadagnyastu tīrthāni prayayau tadā | gaṃgāṃ sarasvatīṃ śubhrāṃ kāverīṃ sarayūṃ tathā
તે સાંભળી જમદગ્ન્ય ત્યારે તીર્થયાત્રાએ નીકળ્યા—ગંગા, શુભ્ર સરસ્વતી, કાવેરી અને સરયૂ તરફ પણ।
Narrator (contextual; likely within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue frame)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: river
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tacchrutvā = tat + śrutvā; jāmadagnyastu = jāmadagnyaḥ + tu.
FAQs
It maps tīrtha-practice onto major pan-Indian rivers—Gaṅgā (north), Sarasvatī (Vedic sacred landscape), Sarayū (Ayodhyā region), and Kāverī (south)—showing a broad sacred geography rather than a single localized cult-site.
By presenting pilgrimage (tīrtha-yātrā) to revered rivers as a concrete religious response after receiving instruction, it frames devotion as lived practice—approaching sanctified waters with reverence as part of one’s spiritual discipline.
The verse models prompt, action-oriented receptivity: upon hearing guidance, one should undertake purifying and dharma-aligned practices (like tīrtha-visit), rather than remaining passive.