Shloka 13
Narmadā Pilgrimage Itinerary: Sequence of Tīrthas, Rites, and Fruits
विकृतानन बीभत्सस्तच्च तीर्थमुपागतः । तत्र कन्या महाराज वराय परमेश्वरः
vikṛtānana bībhatsastacca tīrthamupāgataḥ | tatra kanyā mahārāja varāya parameśvaraḥ
顔は歪み、恐るべき有様のまま、彼はその聖なる渡し場に至った。そこに、大王よ、至上主の婚礼のための乙女がいた。
Unspecified narrator addressing a king (mahārāja) (likely within a Pulastya–Bhīṣma framing typical of Purāṇic narration)
Concept: Sacred crossings (tīrthas) transform impurity and misfortune into eligibility for divine grace.
Application: Do not self-exclude from worship due to perceived unworthiness; approach sacred practice with humility, letting place, mantra, and seva reframe one’s identity.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A pilgrim with a visibly disfigured face, wrapped in torn cloth, approaches a luminous river-ford where the air shimmers with mantra. On the far bank stands a veiled maiden adorned with simple garlands, while an unseen presence of the Supreme Lord is suggested by a hovering lotus aura and conch-shell motifs in the sky.","primary_figures":["disfigured pilgrim","veiled maiden (kanyā)","suggested presence of Vishnu/Parameśvara (symbolic aura)","tīrtha guardians (yakṣa/apsarā silhouettes)"],"setting":"river-ford tīrtha with stone steps, banyan and aśvattha trees, small shrine with a dhvaja and tulasi planter near the waterline","lighting_mood":"moonlit with divine radiance","color_palette":["indigo night","river-silver","lotus pink","conch white","antique gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sacred river-ford with stone ghats and a small Vishnu shrine, gold leaf halo forming a lotus aura in the sky; a disfigured pilgrim kneels at the water’s edge while a veiled maiden stands on the opposite bank with garlands; rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on the shrine iconography, ornate gold borders and embossed conch-chakra motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet Himalayan-like river crossing with delicate brushwork; the afflicted pilgrim approaches the ford, the maiden stands under a flowering tree; soft gradients, lyrical naturalism, refined faces, distant blue hills, thin white water lines, subtle divine aura hinted by a pale lotus cloud.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and temple-wall composition; the tīrtha steps and shrine dominate, the pilgrim rendered with expressive eyes and humble posture, the maiden with stylized jewelry; natural pigment palette with strong reds, yellows, greens; Vishnu’s presence indicated by conch-chakra emblems and a lotus mandala overhead.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a river-ford framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; the maiden and pilgrim placed symmetrically, peacocks on the banks, cows in the distance; deep blue background with gold detailing, Vishnu’s presence suggested by a central lotus medallion and hanging garlands."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","low temple bells","distant conch shell","night insects","soft wind through leaves"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: बीभत्सस्तच्च→बीभत्सः+तत्+च; तीर्थमुपागतः→तीर्थम्+उपागतः
FAQs
It presents the tīrtha as a decisive turning-point location—where a person in a fearful or afflicted condition arrives and the narrative shifts toward divine purpose (here, a marriage-related event connected to the Supreme Lord).
No. “Parameśvara” is a title meaning “Supreme Lord.” The specific deity must be inferred from the surrounding verses and chapter context.
The implied theme is that sacred places are approached even in states of impurity, fear, or suffering, and that contact with a tīrtha can mark the beginning of transformation or divine intervention.