Shloka 69
Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya: Bhakti-Lakṣaṇa, Nārasiṁha-tīrtha, and the Secret Darśana-Vidhi of Śrīnivāsa
अस्मिन्स्नानं ये प्रकुर्वन्ति तीर्थे तेषां ज्ञानं परमं दृढं स्यात् / अत्र स्नाने मानुषाणां च तात बुद्धिर्न हि स्यात्कलिकाले विशेषात्
asminsnānaṃ ye prakurvanti tīrthe teṣāṃ jñānaṃ paramaṃ dṛḍhaṃ syāt / atra snāne mānuṣāṇāṃ ca tāta buddhirna hi syātkalikāle viśeṣāt
Mereka yang mandi suci di tīrtha ini memperoleh pengetahuan rohani yang tertinggi dan teguh. Namun, wahai yang terkasih, pada zaman Kali, bahkan dengan mandi di sini pun manusia umumnya tidak menumbuhkan daya pembedaan—itulah pengaruh khas Kali-yuga.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Tīrtha practices can support jñāna, but inner discernment (buddhi) is essential; Kali-yuga obstructs effortless spiritual maturation.
Vedantic Theme: Jñāna requires antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi; external rites aid but do not guarantee realization without inner preparedness.
Application: Combine pilgrimage/ritual with study, reflection, and ethical living; counter Kali-yuga inertia through discipline and satsanga.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: tīrtha
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.71 (prescribed bathing practice at Nārasiṃha-tīrtha)
FAQs
This verse says that bathing at a true tīrtha can stabilize and deepen spiritual knowledge (jñāna), indicating it is meant to support inner purification, not merely external ritual.
It states that in Kali-yuga people often fail to gain the intended wisdom and discernment even when performing sacred acts like tīrtha-bathing, due to the age’s degrading influence on buddhi (spiritual intelligence).
Treat pilgrimage and ritual bathing as a support for ethical living, self-discipline, and study; without sincere intent and right conduct, outer rites may not yield inner clarity—especially in Kali-yuga.