Shloka 42
Mahālakṣmī’s Forms, Brahmā’s Fourfold Origin, Vāyu’s Names and Soteriology, and Bhāratī’s Manifestations
सलिले तीर्थबुद्धिस्तु रोणुकायां तथैव च / शिवे सूर्ये पण्मुखे च विष्णुबुद्धिः खगेश्वर
salile tīrthabuddhistu roṇukāyāṃ tathaiva ca / śive sūrye paṇmukhe ca viṣṇubuddhiḥ khageśvara
हे खगेश्वर (गरुड़)! जल में तीर्थ-बुद्धि रखनी चाहिए, और रोणुका (गौ) में भी वैसी ही। तथा शिव, सूर्य और षण्मुख (कार्त्तिकेय) में भी विष्णु-बुद्धि बनाए रखनी चाहिए।
Lord Vishnu
Concept: Cultivate sacred perception: see tīrtha-ness in water, sanctity in the cow, and maintain Viṣṇu-oriented devotion even when encountering other deities—without confusion of categories.
Vedantic Theme: Ekatva as theological integration (Viṣṇu as inner ruler) while preserving vyavahāra distinctions; īśvara-sarvātmatva approached through bhakti rather than crude identity-claims.
Application: When visiting rivers/temples or honoring the cow, adopt a purified devotional attitude; relate diverse forms of worship to a Viṣṇu-centered orientation without sectarian hostility or indiscriminate equation.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha/natural-element/temple-deity
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.16.41, 3.16.43-44 (context: viparīta-jñāna vs proper Viṣṇu-buddhi)
FAQs
This verse teaches that water should be approached with the reverence of a tīrtha—supporting purity, ritual correctness, and devotional attitude in rites such as śrāddha and daily ācamana.
In the Preta Kanda’s ritual framework, correct “buddhi” (recognition/attitude) toward sacred media—water, holy beings, and divine forms—supports dharma and the efficacy of rites that aid the departed on the post-death journey.
Treat water as sacred (use it mindfully in purification and offerings) and cultivate a unifying devotion—honoring Śiva, Sūrya, and Kārttikeya without losing Viṣṇu-centered remembrance.