Shloka 31
The Glory of Śrāddha at Sacred Fords and the Determination of the Kutapa Time
शतावटा नदी ज्वाला शरद्वी च नदी तथा । द्वारका कृष्णतीर्थं च तथा ह्युदक्सरस्वती
śatāvaṭā nadī jvālā śaradvī ca nadī tathā | dvārakā kṛṣṇatīrthaṃ ca tathā hyudaksarasvatī
ശതാവടാ, ജ്വാലാ എന്നീ നദികളും, അതുപോലെ ശരദ്വീ നദിയും; കൂടാതെ ദ്വാരകാ—ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണന്റെ പുണ്യ തീർത്ഥവും—ഉദക്ഷരസ്വതിയും (ഇവ പുണ്യസ്ഥാനങ്ങളാണ്).
Unknown (verse is a catalogue-style listing; speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)
Concept: Tīrtha is not merely place but remembrance: naming Dvārakā and Kṛṣṇa-tīrtha turns geography into bhakti-smarana, where travel and recitation both become devotional acts.
Application: Keep a ‘tīrtha-smarana’ practice: recite Dvārakā/Kṛṣṇa names, support pilgrim charities, and when possible visit a Kṛṣṇa temple or sacred waterbody with disciplined conduct.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A pilgrim caravan approaches Dvārakā’s sea-facing temples while inland rivers shimmer like silver threads leading toward the city. In the foreground, a small shrine labeled ‘Kṛṣṇa-tīrtha’ stands beside clear water where devotees offer flowers, and the distant ocean glows as if reflecting Kṛṣṇa’s blue radiance.","primary_figures":["Kṛṣṇa (iconic presence)","Dvārakā temple priests","Pilgrims","Nadī-devatās (subtle)"],"setting":"Coastal sacred city with temple spires, ghāṭas, and the Arabian Sea; intercut with riverbanks and a tīrtha-kunda","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["deep ocean blue","conch white","sunlit gold","coral pink","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Dvārakā temple façade with Kṛṣṇa standing in tribhaṅga, jeweled crown and garlands; ocean rendered in stylized gold-edged waves; pilgrims at a Kṛṣṇa-tīrtha kunda; heavy gold leaf, rich reds/greens, gem-studded ornaments, ornate prabhāmaṇḍala.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical coastal landscape with pale blue sea, delicate temple architecture, tiny pilgrims; Kṛṣṇa as a graceful figure near a waterbody; cool palette, fine brushwork, refined faces, gentle cloud bands.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold-outlined Kṛṣṇa with large eyes, Dvārakā temple and sea as patterned fields; strong reds/yellows/greens with black contours; decorative borders with śaṅkha-cakra motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Kṛṣṇa-centered Dvārakā scene framed by lotus borders; deep indigo background with gold; stylized ocean as lotus-petal waves; peacocks and cows in ornamental corners; intricate floral filigree and Nathdwara-inspired detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["conch shell","sea waves","temple bells","choral ‘Govinda’ refrain (soft)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ह्युदक्सरस्वती → हि + उदक्सरस्वती (hi + u- sandhi: ह्य्). कृष्णतीर्थम् is ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa. उदक्सरस्वती analyzed as tatpuruṣa with directional qualifier.
FAQs
It functions as a compact catalogue of revered rivers and pilgrimage sites, indicating that sacred geography in the Padma Purana includes both natural waterways (nadīs) and specific holy places (like Dvārakā) associated with major deities.
By explicitly naming Kṛṣṇa’s tīrtha and Dvārakā, it anchors devotion in place-based remembrance—pilgrimage and recollection of the Lord’s sacred locales as supportive practices for bhakti.
The implied lesson is reverence: honoring sacred rivers and tīrthas encourages humility, purity of conduct, and a disciplined approach to pilgrimage rather than treating holy places as mere geography.