Shloka 63
Account of Various Sacred Tīrthas
Pilgrimage Merits and Prayāga Supremacy
यत्र तीर्णो महाप्राज्ञो रामो दाशरथिः पुरा । गंगायां तु नरः स्नात्वा ब्रह्मचारी जितेंद्रियः
yatra tīrṇo mahāprājño rāmo dāśarathiḥ purā | gaṃgāyāṃ tu naraḥ snātvā brahmacārī jiteṃdriyaḥ
នៅទីសក្ការៈនោះ ដែលកាលពីបុរាណ ព្រះរាម បុត្រព្រះទសរថ អ្នកប្រាជ្ញធំ បានឆ្លងទន្លេគង្គា—មនុស្សណាអង្គុយស្នានក្នុងគង្គា រស់នៅជាព្រហ្មចារី និងសង្កត់សម្រួលអារម្មណ៍ទាំងឡាយ នឹងទទួលបានបុណ្យធម៌។
Unspecified (narrative voice within a tīrtha-māhātmya passage)
Concept: Tīrtha-snāna bears full fruit when joined to brahmacarya and sense-restraint; outer purity is completed by inner discipline.
Application: When visiting sacred places (or even in daily bathing), add a vow of restraint—truthfulness, moderated speech, and sensory discipline—to convert routine acts into sādhana.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a broad Gaṅgā ford, the memory of Rāma’s ancient crossing shimmers like a translucent vision above the water. A pilgrim-brahmacārin, hair tied and senses composed, steps into the river at dawn, palms joined, while the current glows with sanctifying light.","primary_figures":["Rāma Dāśarathi (visionary presence)","Brahmacārin pilgrim","Gaṅgā-devī (suggested as a luminous river-spirit)"],"setting":"Wide riverbank with stone ghāṭ steps, distant sal trees, a simple āśrama flag, and a faint silhouette of a crossing path through the water.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["sapphire blue","river-silver","lotus pink","saffron ochre","gold leaf"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Rāma as a radiant, jewel-crowned avatāra appearing above the Gaṅgā ford, with a brahmacārin pilgrim performing snāna below; heavy gold leaf halos, rich vermilion and emerald borders, ornate river motifs, gem-studded ornaments, South Indian iconographic symmetry, temple-arch framing the ghāṭ.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: serene Gaṅgā river bend with delicate ripples, a slim brahmacārin entering the water, and a faint ethereal Rāma-vision in the sky; cool blues and soft greens, lyrical trees, refined faces, thin ink outlines, atmospheric Himalayan-style distance though set on the plains.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; Gaṅgā as a stylized flowing band with lotus clusters, the brahmacārin in ochre, and Rāma’s divine form above with large expressive eyes; temple-wall aesthetic, red-yellow-green dominance with blue accents.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Gaṅgā ford rendered with lotus and floral borders, peacocks on the bank, a central devotional focus on Rāma’s radiant presence; intricate white patterns on deep blue water, gold highlights, symmetrical ghāṭ steps, ornate textile-like detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","distant temple bells","morning birds","soft conch shell","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: No major external sandhi; gaṃgāyāṃ = गङ्गायाम् (anusvāra in IAST).
FAQs
It marks a specific ford or crossing-place on the Gaṅgā sanctified by Rāma’s passage, showing how Purāṇic tīrtha-māhātmya links sacred geography to remembered divine events.
By invoking Rāma as the sanctifying presence of the site, it frames pilgrimage and bathing as devotional acts—performed with purity and restraint—rather than merely physical rituals.
The verse pairs outer purification (bathing in the Gaṅgā) with inner discipline (brahmacarya and control of the senses), teaching that lasting spiritual benefit depends on self-restraint and purity of conduct.