Shloka 29
Jāmbavatī’s Vaiṣṇava-Ācāra: Grace, Sense-Consecration, and Pilgrimage to Śrīnivāsa on Veṅkaṭādri
व्यर्थंव्यर्थं तस्य चाहुर्गतं वै अश्वादीनां वाहनानां च विद्धि / अश्वादीनामपराधं वदस्व गङ्गादीनां दर्शनात्पापनाशः
vyarthaṃvyarthaṃ tasya cāhurgataṃ vai aśvādīnāṃ vāhanānāṃ ca viddhi / aśvādīnāmaparādhaṃ vadasva gaṅgādīnāṃ darśanātpāpanāśaḥ
അവർ പറയുന്നു: അവന്റെ യാത്ര പൂർണ്ണമായും വ്യർത്ഥം; കുതിര മുതലായ വാഹനങ്ങളുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട അപരാധം കൊണ്ടാണ്. കുതിരാദികളുടെ അപരാധം പറയുക; ഗംഗാദി നദികളുടെ ദർശനം മാത്രത്താൽ പാപം നശിക്കുന്നു.
Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Tīrtha has intrinsic purificatory power (darśana-mātra), yet aparādha can obstruct fruition; karma-phala depends on conduct during the act.
Vedantic Theme: Pratibandha (obstruction) to spiritual merit through aparādha; necessity of śuddha-ācāra to allow grace/merit to manifest.
Application: Travel to sacred places with non-violence and care for animals/vehicles and fellow travelers; avoid arrogance, harm, or exploitation that becomes ‘aparādha’.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: sacred river/tirtha
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: tīrtha-mahātmyas of Gaṅgā and other rivers; warnings about aparādha that blocks merit; Garuda Purana: lists of offences (aparādhas) in sacred contexts (general internal parallel)
FAQs
This verse states that mere darshana of the Ganga and other sacred rivers is a means of pāpa-nāśa (destruction of sins), emphasizing tirtha-darshana as a powerful purification practice.
It says a person’s ‘going’ becomes fruitless due to aparadha connected with mounts/vehicles (like horses), implying that unethical actions create karmic impediments until addressed through confession, correction, and expiation.
Practice non-harm and ethical conduct toward animals and public resources, avoid exploitation in travel/transport, and adopt purificatory disciplines—such as tirtha visits or mindful sacred remembrance—along with sincere repentance and restitution.