Shloka 23
Tīrtha-vidhi (Procedure for Holy Places) — Prayāgarāja-māhātmya
यस्येष्टियज्ञेष्वधिकारितास्ति वरं गृहं गृहधर्माश्च सर्वे । एवं गृहस्ताश्रमसंस्थितस्य तीर्थे गतिः पूर्वतरैर्निषिद्धा । सर्वाणि तीर्थान्यपि चाग्निहोत्रतुल्यानि नैवेति वदंति केचित् ॥ २३ ॥
yasyeṣṭiyajñeṣvadhikāritāsti varaṃ gṛhaṃ gṛhadharmāśca sarve | evaṃ gṛhastāśramasaṃsthitasya tīrthe gatiḥ pūrvatarairniṣiddhā | sarvāṇi tīrthānyapi cāgnihotratulyāni naiveti vadaṃti kecit || 23 ||
ഇഷ്ടിയജ്ഞങ്ങളിൽ അധികാരമുള്ളവന് ഗൃഹജീവിതം തന്നെയാണ് ശ്രേഷ്ഠം; ഗൃഹധർമ്മങ്ങളൊക്കെയും ശ്രേഷ്ഠമാണ്. ഇങ്ങനെ ഗൃഹസ്ഥാശ്രമത്തിൽ സ്ഥിരനായവന് തീർത്ഥഗമനം പൂർവ്വർ നിഷിദ്ധമാക്കിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. ചിലർ പറയുന്നു—എല്ലാ തീർത്ഥങ്ങളും അഗ്നിഹോത്രത്തോട് തുല്യമല്ലെന്ന്।
Narada (teaching in the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-context; traditional dialogue frame with Sanatkumara is implied)
Vrata: Agnihotra (nitya rite; not a vrata)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: none
FAQs
It prioritizes nitya-karma (daily obligatory rites like Agnihotra and gṛhadharma) over optional religious travel, teaching that steadiness in one’s āśrama-dharma is itself a primary spiritual discipline.
By implying that devotion is not only expressed through visiting sacred places; for a householder, faithful performance of prescribed duties and sacrifices can be a direct form of dharmic worship that supports bhakti through discipline and purity.
Ritual competence (Kalpa/Śrauta–Gṛhya practice) is central: it stresses adhikāra (eligibility) and the hierarchy of nitya rites like Agnihotra over kāmya/optional acts such as extensive tīrtha-yātrā.