Shloka 23
Viṣṇu as the Embodied Purāṇas and the Merit of Hearing the Svarga-khaṇḍa
सद्भिः सह वसेद्धीमान्सत्तीर्थे स्नानमाचरेत् । कुर्यादेव सदालापं सच्छास्त्रं शृणुयान्नरः
sadbhiḥ saha vaseddhīmānsattīrthe snānamācaret | kuryādeva sadālāpaṃ sacchāstraṃ śṛṇuyānnaraḥ
賢者は善き人々と共に住み、聖なるティールタにて沐浴し、常に心を高める語らいをなし、正統なるシャーストラの教えを聴くべきである。
Unspecified (narrative instruction within Svarga-khaṇḍa context; likely delivered within the chapter’s teaching dialogue)
Concept: Satsanga, tīrtha-snāna, noble speech, and śāstra-śravaṇa together form a practical ladder of purification and wisdom.
Application: Choose uplifting company, keep a daily study/listening habit, and treat visits to sacred places as occasions for ethical renewal rather than tourism.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a calm riverbank tīrtha, a group of serene sādhus sits beneath an aśvattha tree while a householder-wanderer approaches with folded hands. Nearby, the pilgrim performs a respectful snāna, then returns to sit and listen as a palm-leaf scripture is read aloud, the air filled with gentle, elevating conversation.","primary_figures":["virtuous sādhus (sat)","a wise seeker/householder","optional: a guru reciting śāstra"],"setting":"Sacred river ford with stone ghats, banyan/aśvattha shade, small shrine, and a simple reading pavilion.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["river jade","saffron ochre","stone gray","leaf green","sunrise gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a tīrtha ghat scene with a small Vishnu shrine in the background, sādhus seated in a semicircle around a palm-leaf manuscript, the seeker emerging from snāna with wet hair and folded hands; gold-leaf highlights on halos, shrine lamps, and river ripples; rich reds/greens in borders and textiles.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical riverside with delicate foliage, cool water tones, and refined figures; the scripture reading shown with subtle gestures and expressive faces; soft dawn light and gentle mountain-like horizon, emphasizing calm satsanga.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined figures—sādhus with stylized eyes, the river as patterned bands, a small temple lamp-lit shrine; warm yellow-red palette with green accents, conveying ritual purity and disciplined listening.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional tīrtha tableau framed by floral borders; central river with lotus motifs, sādhus in symmetrical arrangement, peacocks at the edges, and a small Vaishnava symbol (śaṅkha-cakra) above the scripture; deep blues and gold with intricate textile patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","birds at dawn","soft hand-bell","murmured chanting"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वसेद्धीमान् = वसेत् + धीमान् (त् + ध → द्ध); सत्तीर्थे = सत् + तीर्थे (त् + त → त्त); स्नानमाचरेत् = स्नानम् + आचरेत्; कुर्यादेव = कुर्यात् + एव; सदालापं = सत् + आलापम् (त् + आ → दा by voicing in recitation; standard padaccheda: सत् + आलापम्); सच्छास्त्रं = सत् + शास्त्रम् (त् + श → च्छ); शृणुयान्नरः = शृणुयात् + नरः (त् + न → न्न)
FAQs
It recommends four supports: living with virtuous people (satsaṅga), bathing at a sacred tīrtha, maintaining uplifting conversation, and regularly listening to authoritative śāstra.
The tīrtha bath is paired with satsaṅga, noble speech, and śāstra-hearing, implying that external pilgrimage is meant to be reinforced by ethical company and right understanding.
A person becomes shaped by association and attention: keep the company of the good, cultivate pure speech, and learn from reliable teachings—these habits steadily elevate conduct and character.