Shloka 28
Glorification of the Yamunā (Yamuna Mahatmya) and Prayāga’s Step-by-Step Aśvamedha Merit
तत्र स्नात्वा दिवं यांति ये मृतास्तेऽपुनर्भवाः । एवं तीर्थसहस्राणि यमुना दक्षिणे तटे
tatra snātvā divaṃ yāṃti ye mṛtāste'punarbhavāḥ | evaṃ tīrthasahasrāṇi yamunā dakṣiṇe taṭe
そこで沐浴して命終する者は天界に至り、再び（輪廻に）戻らない。かくしてヤムナーの南岸には、幾千もの聖なる渡し場（ティールタ）がある。
Unspecified (narratorial voice within the Svargakhaṇḍa’s tīrtha-māhātmya context)
Concept: Tīrtha-snāna, when joined with the culminating event of death in that sanctified field, is portrayed as a direct cause of heavenly ascent and even freedom from rebirth.
Application: Use pilgrimage as a catalyst for inner transformation: take vows of truthfulness and compassion during tīrtha-yātrā; remember mortality to prioritize bhakti and dharma; avoid treating tīrtha as mere transaction.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: river
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The Yamunā’s southern bank unfurls as a continuous garland of ghāṭas, each with a distinct shrine, flag, and offering smoke—suggesting ‘thousands of tīrthas’ in a single panoramic sweep. Above the river, luminous stairways rise into the sky where departing souls, serene and unburdened, ascend toward a bright celestial realm, hinting at apunarbhava.","primary_figures":["pilgrims bathing","departing souls (subtle, luminous)","river goddess Yamunā (personified, optional)","celestial attendants (gandharvas/apsarās, subtle)"],"setting":"Vast riverbank panorama with innumerable ghāṭas, small temples, sacred trees, and processions; the river as a living, sanctifying presence.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["deep indigo","river jade","cloud white","sun-gold","temple vermilion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: grand panoramic Yamunā ghāṭa with countless miniature shrines and gold-leaf highlights, celestial ascent path in the sky, souls rising with embossed halos; rich reds/greens, ornate temple arches, shimmering gold river accents.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: wide lyrical river landscape with repeating ghāṭa motifs, delicate figures bathing, faint translucent souls ascending into pale sky; cool blues and greens, refined detailing, poetic sense of infinity through repetition.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized Yamunā as a broad band with rhythmic waves, rows of tīrtha icons along the bank, ascending souls depicted as glowing forms; bold outlines, natural pigments, temple-panel symmetry and narrative clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Yamunā rendered with lotus patterns and ornate borders, many small shrine vignettes arranged like a mandala, celestial ascent above; deep blues with gold, intricate floral filigree, devotional textile richness."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","conch shell","temple bells","distant chanting","wind over steps"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: mṛtāste'punarbhavāḥ = mṛtāḥ te apunarbhavāḥ; apunarbhavāḥ analyzed as bahuvrīhi (a-punar-bhava).
FAQs
It states that bathing there leads to attaining heaven, and that those who die there are described as ‘apunarbha vāḥ’—not returning again to rebirth.
It highlights the southern bank (dakṣiṇa taṭa) of the Yamunā as containing ‘thousands of tīrthas,’ indicating a dense sacred landscape along that riverbank.
It encourages pilgrimage practices such as ritual bathing (snāna) and reverence for sacred geography, presenting them as supports for spiritual uplift and liberation-oriented aspiration.