Shloka 14
Moksha and Svarga through Dāna, Tīrtha, Nāma-smaraṇa, and Bhāva
प्रातः प्रातः प्रपश्यन्ति नर्मदां मत्स्यघातिनः / न ते शिवपुरीं यान्ति चित्तवृत्तिर्गरीयसी
prātaḥ prātaḥ prapaśyanti narmadāṃ matsyaghātinaḥ / na te śivapurīṃ yānti cittavṛttirgarīyasī
മത്സ്യങ്ങളെ കൊല്ലുന്നവർ പ്രഭാതംപ്രഭാതം നർമദയെ വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും കാണുന്നു; എങ്കിലും അവർ ശിവപുരിയിലേക്കു പോകുന്നില്ല, പാപഭാരത്താൽ അവരുടെ ചിത്തവൃത്തി കനത്തിരിക്കുന്നു।
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Tīrtha-darśana and repeated contact with sacred places are insufficient when citta-vṛtti is tainted by hiṁsā; inner disposition determines spiritual destiny.
Vedantic Theme: Primacy of antaḥkaraṇa-vṛtti over external merit; karma and saṁskāra shape gati; critique of hypocrisy (tīrtha-sevā without dharma).
Application: Practice ahiṁsā and right livelihood; if engaging in pilgrimage/ritual, pair it with ethical reform and repentance; cultivate compassion toward beings.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: river
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: teachings that citta and karma govern post-mortem gati; condemnation of hiṁsā and meat/fish killing in dharma sections (general internal resonance)
FAQs
This verse implies that merely seeing a sacred river repeatedly is not sufficient if one persists in harmful actions; inner conduct (citta-vṛtti) determines spiritual outcome.
It states that the mind’s tendency becomes “heavy” with the karma of violence (here, killing fish), and that burden prevents ascent to auspicious divine states such as Śiva’s city.
Pair pilgrimage and worship with ethical restraint—reduce harm to living beings and cultivate compassion—so that sacred acts support genuine inner purification.