Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 23
Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Meets Lord Śiva: Devotee as Living Tīrtha and the Lord’s Māyā
न ह्यम्मयानि तीर्थानि न देवाश्चेतनोज्झिता: । ते पुनन्त्युरुकालेन यूयं दर्शनमात्रत: ॥ २३ ॥
na hy am-mayāni tīrthāni na devāś cetanojjhitāḥ te punanty uru-kālena yūyaṁ darśana-mātrataḥ
Bukan sekadar kumpulan air yang menjadi tīrtha, dan bukan pula arca para dewa yang tak bernyawa itu dewa yang sungguh layak dipuja. Karena hakikat luhur mereka tak dipahami oleh pandangan lahir, mereka menyucikan setelah waktu yang lama; tetapi para bhakta seperti engkau menyucikan seketika, hanya dengan terlihat.
FAQs
This verse says that holy places and even deity forms purify gradually, but a saintly devotee can purify a person immediately simply by darśana (being seen).
In Canto 12, Mārkaṇḍeya offers reverence to Nara-Nārāyaṇa and emphasizes that the Lord’s devotees and sages are the highest purifiers, surpassing ordinary notions of tīrtha as only water or divinity as merely a statue.
Seek genuine association—hear from, serve, and regularly meet sincere devotees—because uplifting company reforms consciousness faster than occasional external rituals alone.