Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 23
Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Meets Lord Śiva: Devotee as Living Tīrtha and the Lord’s Māyā
न ह्यम्मयानि तीर्थानि न देवाश्चेतनोज्झिता: । ते पुनन्त्युरुकालेन यूयं दर्शनमात्रत: ॥ २३ ॥
na hy am-mayāni tīrthāni na devāś cetanojjhitāḥ te punanty uru-kālena yūyaṁ darśana-mātrataḥ
ಕೇವಲ ನೀರಿನ ದೇಹಗಳು ತೀರ್ಥಗಳಲ್ಲ; ಚೇತನರಹಿತ ದೇವಮೂರ್ತಿಗಳೂ ನಿಜವಾದ ಪೂಜ್ಯ ದೇವತೆಗಳಲ್ಲ. ಅವರ ಉನ್ನತ ಸಾರವನ್ನು ಬಾಹ್ಯ ದೃಷ್ಟಿ ಗ್ರಹಿಸದ ಕಾರಣ ಅವು ದೀರ್ಘಕಾಲದ ಬಳಿಕ ಶುದ್ಧಿಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತವೆ; ಆದರೆ ನಿಮ್ಮಂತಹ ಭಕ್ತರು ದರ್ಶನಮಾತ್ರದಿಂದಲೇ ತಕ್ಷಣ ಪವಿತ್ರಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ.
FAQs
This verse says that holy places and even deity forms purify gradually, but a saintly devotee can purify a person immediately simply by darśana (being seen).
In Canto 12, Mārkaṇḍeya offers reverence to Nara-Nārāyaṇa and emphasizes that the Lord’s devotees and sages are the highest purifiers, surpassing ordinary notions of tīrtha as only water or divinity as merely a statue.
Seek genuine association—hear from, serve, and regularly meet sincere devotees—because uplifting company reforms consciousness faster than occasional external rituals alone.