Shloka 38
The Glory of Śrāddha at Sacred Fords and the Determination of the Kutapa Time
श्राद्धमेतेषु सर्वेषु दत्तं कोटिगुणं भवेत् । स्मरणादपि पापानि व्रजंति शतधा नृप
śrāddhameteṣu sarveṣu dattaṃ koṭiguṇaṃ bhavet | smaraṇādapi pāpāni vrajaṃti śatadhā nṛpa
ഹേ നൃപ, ഈ എല്ലാ തീർത്ഥങ്ങളിലും അർപ്പിക്കുന്ന ശ്രാദ്ധം കോടി ഗുണം ഫലിക്കും; സ്മരണ മാത്രം കൊണ്ടും പാപങ്ങൾ ശതഗുണമായി അകന്നുപോകും.
Unspecified narrator/sage addressing a king (nṛpa) in Adhyaya 11 context
Concept: Tīrtha-smaraṇa and tīrtha-kriyā (like śrāddha) exponentially amplify puṇya and dissolve pāpa; inner remembrance itself is a potent sādhana.
Application: Keep a daily practice of remembering sacred places and offering ancestral gratitude (even a simple water-offering with prayer); when possible, align śrāddha with pilgrimage or temple visits to intensify intention and charity.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A venerable sage addresses a crowned king beside a riverbank lined with ancient banyans, while pilgrims perform śrāddha with sesame, water, and kusa grass. Above them, faint luminous silhouettes of tīrthas appear like a celestial map, suggesting that even remembrance summons sanctity and dissolves sin.","primary_figures":["sage-narrator","king (nṛpa)","pitṛs as subtle ancestral presences","pilgrims performing śrāddha"],"setting":"Sacred river ghat with śrāddha platforms, kusa mats, brass vessels, and distant temple spires; a soft aerial vision of multiple tīrthas hovering in the sky.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron gold","river jade-green","ash-white","lotus pink","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sage teaching a jeweled king at a river ghat where devotees offer śrāddha with brass lotas and sesame; gold leaf halos around the sage and subtle pitṛ figures; ornate temple towers in the background; rich crimson and emerald garments, gem-studded crowns, and embossed gold detailing on vessels and borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical riverside scene with delicate linework—sage and king seated on patterned rugs under a banyan; small groups performing śrāddha near the water; misty hills and tiny shrines in the distance; cool blues and greens with soft pink accents, refined faces and gentle gestures conveying instruction and reassurance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined sage and king in frontal three-quarter poses; stylized river waves and ghat steps; ritual items (kusa, tila, water pot) rendered with clear iconographic precision; warm ochres, reds, and greens with characteristic large eyes; a radiant aura suggesting tīrtha power and sin-dissolution.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional riverbank tableau framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; multiple small tīrtha icons floating above like medallions; pilgrims offering water and sesame; deep blue background with gold highlights, peacocks at the border, and a central sanctity motif suggesting remembrance as worship."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","soft conch shell","murmured mantras","morning birds"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्मरणादपि = स्मरणात् + अपि। व्रजंति इति पाठे ‘व्रजन्ति’ (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद) ग्रहणम्।
FAQs
It states that when śrāddha is performed at the sacred places being discussed, the resulting merit is amplified immensely—described as “koṭiguṇa,” a crore-fold increase.
It claims that even remembering these holy places has purificatory power: sins are said to depart “śatadhā,” i.e., in a hundredfold manner.
The verse encourages reverence for sacred geography and sincere ritual intention, emphasizing that inner acts like remembrance, along with right performance of duties such as śrāddha, are spiritually transformative.