Shloka 21
Moksha and Svarga through Dāna, Tīrtha, Nāma-smaraṇa, and Bhāva
हरिक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे भृगुक्षेत्रे तथैव च / प्रभासे श्रीस्थले चैव अर्बुदे च त्रिपुष्करे
harikṣetre kurukṣetre bhṛgukṣetre tathaiva ca / prabhāse śrīsthale caiva arbude ca tripuṣkare
ഹരിക്ഷേത്രം, കുരുക്ഷേത്രം, ഭൃഗുക്ഷേത്രം കൂടാതെ പ്രഭാസം; അതുപോലെ ശ്രീസ്ഥലം, അർബുദം, ത്രിപുഷ്കരം—ഇവയെല്ലാം പരമപവിത്ര തീർത്ഥക്ഷേത്രങ്ങളായി പ്രസിദ്ധമാണ്.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)
Concept: Smaraṇa and visitation of kṣetras is a purifier; sacred geography functions as a support for devotion and merit.
Vedantic Theme: External tīrtha as an aid to inner tīrtha (purified mind); bhakti expressed through yātrā and remembrance.
Application: Undertake pilgrimage with vows of restraint and charity; if travel is impossible, practice tīrtha-smaraṇa, study of kṣetra-māhātmyas, and local temple service.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tīrtha-kṣetra (pilgrimage regions)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: tīrtha lists and their fruits recur across dharma/vrata sections; Garuda Purana: emphasis on Prabhāsa and Puṣkara in pilgrimage discourse
FAQs
This verse lists renowned tīrthas, indicating that visiting or performing rites at such sanctified places is regarded as especially merit-producing (puṇya), supporting purification and auspicious outcomes for the living and for ancestral observances.
In the Preta Kanda context, tīrtha-māhātmya underscores that acts like śrāddha, charity, vows, and remembrance performed in powerful pilgrimage-sites are traditionally believed to yield intensified merit, which is often linked to easing post-death transitions and honoring ancestors.
If travel is possible, choose reputable sacred sites for śrāddha, charity, and prayer; if not, emulate the intent by performing rites with sincerity, ethical conduct, and disciplined giving—treating the practice as inner purification rather than mere tourism.