Shloka 4

Devanagari script

पापानि तस्य नश्यंति तीर्थालापनमात्रतः । तीर्थानि खलु धन्यानि धन्यसेव्यानि सुव्रताः

Transliteration

pāpāni tasya naśyaṃti tīrthālāpanamātrataḥ | tīrthāni khalu dhanyāni dhanyasevyāni suvratāḥ

Translation

ただ聖地（ティールタ）の名を口にするだけで、その人の罪は滅びる。まことにティールタは福徳に満ち、福ある者が参詣し奉仕すべきもの、善き誓願の者たちよ。

Word by Word

• पापानि: sins
• पापानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्तृपद

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (possessor)

• नश्यन्ति: perish, are destroyed
• नश्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तीर्थालापनमात्रतः: merely by uttering (the word) 'tirtha'/by mentioning tirthas
• तीर्थालापनमात्रतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + आलापन (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित/अव्ययप्रत्यय)
• Form: समासान्त-तसिल् (ablatival adverb) अर्थे: 'मात्रात्' = 'merely from'; समासः: तीर्थ-आलापन (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + मात्र (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भाव) + तः (अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग); हेतौ/निमित्ते (cause)

• तीर्थानि: tirthas (sacred places)
• तीर्थानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्तृपद

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• धन्यानि: blessed, auspicious
• धन्यानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (तीर्थानि)

• धन्यसेव्यानि: worthy of being served by the blessed / worthy to be served
• धन्यसेव्यानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सेव्य (कृदन्त, सेव् धातु)
• Form: कर्मधारय: 'धन्यं सेव्यम्' = 'to be served by the blessed/fit for the blessed to serve'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (तीर्थानि)

• सुव्रताः: O good-vowed ones
• सुव्रताः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे (vocative sense) 'O good-vowed ones' (form equals nom. pl.)

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator/teacher addressing 'suvratāḥ')

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The name of a tīrtha itself is purifying; blessed people should visit and serve tīrthas.

Application: Keep a daily practice of reciting names of key tīrthas (Prayāga, Kāśī, Puṣkara, etc.) with humility; when possible, support tīrtha upkeep—cleanliness, charity kitchens, water conservation—treating it as service to Viṣṇu.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A stream of luminous syllables rises from a devotee’s lips—each syllable forming the outline of a sacred ghāṭa, temple, or river bend—then dissolving a dark cloud labeled as sin into sparkling motes. Nearby, other pilgrims sweep the ghāṭa and offer lamps, showing that utterance naturally flowers into service.","primary_figures":["devotee reciting tīrtha-nāmas","pilgrims performing sevā","personified pāpa-cloud (symbolic)"],"setting":"Riverbank ghāṭa with a small shrine, broom, water pots, and floating lamps; distant temple skyline.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["ink-black (sin cloud)","radiant gold","river turquoise","lotus pink","white jasmine"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: devotee chanting with gold leaf syllables spiraling upward, transforming into miniature temple and river icons; a dark pāpa-cloud dissolving into glitter; ornate ghāṭa scene with lamps and sevā; heavy gold embellishment, rich vermillion and emerald, jewel-like highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate calligraphic syllables floating above a calm river-ghat; pilgrims sweeping and offering lamps; the dark cloud thinning into pale sparkles; cool blues/greens with warm gold accents, refined faces and gentle landscape.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined devotee with stylized Sanskrit akṣaras as a radiant ribbon; pāpa-cloud as a dark patterned mass breaking apart; strong reds/yellows/greens, temple-wall symmetry and lotus borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central chanting figure framed by intricate lotus borders; akṣaras arranged like garlands; multiple small ghāṭa-sevā scenes around; deep indigo ground with gold lotuses, peacocks, and floral filigree."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["hand-bell","flowing water","soft chorus response","lamp crackle"]}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: तीर्थालापनमात्रतः = तीर्थ + आलापन + मात्र + तः (अव्ययीभाववत् हेत्वर्थे)

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha

FAQs

What does this verse teach about the spiritual efficacy of tīrthas?

It asserts that even the simple act of naming or remembering a tīrtha has purifying power, indicating that sacred places carry merit beyond physical travel—devotional recollection itself is transformative.

Does the verse prioritize remembrance over actual pilgrimage?

It highlights remembrance/utterance as effective (“mere utterance”), but also praises tīrthas as worthy of being served and visited, implying both inner devotion and outward practice are valued.

What ethical or practical lesson is implied for practitioners?

Cultivate reverence for holy places and engage with them respectfully—through speech, memory, and (when possible) pilgrimage—while maintaining disciplined vows (suvrata) and purity of conduct.