Shloka 11
The Deeds of Cyavana
in the Context of Guru-tirtha Glorification
किं तीर्थं प्राप्य मुच्येत ब्रह्मघ्नो ब्रह्महत्यया । सुरापोमुच्यतेपापाद्गोघ्नोहेमापहारकः
kiṃ tīrthaṃ prāpya mucyeta brahmaghno brahmahatyayā | surāpomucyatepāpādgoghnohemāpahārakaḥ
Dengan mencapai tirtha suci manakah seorang pembunuh brahmana dibebaskan dari dosa pembunuhan brahmana? Dan dengan tirtha manakah seorang peminum arak dibebaskan dari dosa—demikian pula pembunuh sapi dan pencuri emas?
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses; commonly framed as a question within a dialogue such as Pulastya–Bhīṣma in Bhūmi-khaṇḍa).
Concept: Sin has consequences, yet dharma provides structured paths of expiation; tīrtha is not a loophole but a transformative discipline when paired with repentance and right conduct.
Application: Do not normalize wrongdoing; if harm is done, seek restitution, confession to a trusted guide, disciplined penance, and sustained ethical reform—ritual without reform is incomplete.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A troubled seeker kneels at the edge of a sacred ford, hands trembling as dark, smoky forms—symbols of mahāpātaka—coil behind him like shadows. Across the water, a luminous tīrtha-shrine glows, and a compassionate sage points toward the path of snāna and penance, suggesting hope without minimizing the gravity of the sins.","primary_figures":["Questioner (pilgrim/seeker)","Sage/teacher figure","Personified shadows of pāpa (symbolic)","Tīrtha-deity icon (distant)"],"setting":"A stark river confluence with stone steps, a small shrine, and a penitential atmosphere; offerings of sesame, water-pot, and kusa grass visible.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["ink black","ash gray","river silver","lamp gold","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic penitence scene at a ghāṭa; seeker in humble posture, sage indicating the shrine; gold-leaf radiance around the deity and lamps contrasts with dark pāpa-shadows; ornate temple arch, rich reds and greens, gem-like highlights on ritual vessels.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: night confluence with silver water and delicate steps; seeker and sage rendered with refined emotion; faint smoky silhouettes behind; cool palette, subtle lamp glow, lyrical yet grave mood.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: symbolic composition—dark pāpa forms as stylized serpentine shapes, bright shrine aura; bold outlines, strong contrast of black/indigo with yellow-red lamp tones; didactic temple-wall storytelling feel.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central river with lotus motifs subdued; penitential figures small but expressive; ornate border with repeating sesame/kalasha motifs; deep blue ground with gold lamps, emphasizing purification through sacred water."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["low temple gong","river at night","distant conch","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: surāpomucyatepāpād → surā-paḥ mucyate pāpāt; goghnohemāpahārakaḥ → go-ghnaḥ hema-apahārakaḥ.
FAQs
It asks which specific pilgrimage place has the power to liberate a person from grave sins (mahāpātakas) such as brahminicide, drinking liquor, killing a cow, and stealing gold.
The verse underscores moral gravity: these acts are presented as severe transgressions, prompting inquiry into expiation, purification, and the disciplined pursuit of remedy through sanctioned sacred means.
No. This śloka is framed as a question; the answer (the name of the tīrtha and the method) is expected in the surrounding verses of the chapter.