Shloka 53
The Account of Women
Householder Ethics, Fault, Merit, and Govinda-Nāma as Purification
कृत्वा च पूजयित्वा च स पापात्सन्तरो भवेत् । भागीरथी तटे रम्ये खगस्य ग्रहणे शिवे
kṛtvā ca pūjayitvā ca sa pāpātsantaro bhavet | bhāgīrathī taṭe ramye khagasya grahaṇe śive
അത് നിർവഹിച്ചു വിധിപൂർവ്വം പൂജിച്ചാൽ അവൻ പാപം കടന്ന് രക്ഷപ്പെടുന്നു—രമണീയമായ ഭാഗീരഥീ തീരത്ത്, ഖഗ (സൂര്യ) ഗ്രഹണത്തിന്റെ ശുഭസമയത്ത്।
Unspecified (context-dependent; verse appears as part of a narrated instruction in Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa)
Concept: Tīrtha-sevā and timely worship (kāla-viśeṣa) enable crossing beyond sin.
Application: Choose a regular sacred practice (japa, dāna, snāna, pūjā) and intensify it on spiritually charged days; treat rivers/temples as spaces for inner cleansing, not tourism.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: river
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a serene Gaṅgā bank, pilgrims complete a simple pūjā—lamp, flowers, and water-offering—while the sky darkens in a solar eclipse. The river glows with an otherworldly sheen, as if carrying away invisible burdens; distant bells and conch calls ripple through the hush.","primary_figures":["devotee performing pūjā","Gaṅgā-devī (subtle presence)","Vishnu (visionary aura or symbol on the horizon)"],"setting":"Sandy riverbank with stone ghāṭ steps, tulasī pots near a small shrine, distant temple spire, slow-flowing sacred water","lighting_mood":"eclipse-dimmed divine radiance","color_palette":["smoky indigo","river-silver","lamp-flame amber","saffron cloth","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Gaṅgā riverbank ghāṭ during a solar eclipse, a devotee offering ārati and flowers, small shrine with Viṣṇu symbols, Gaṅgā-devī suggested in the waves; heavy gold leaf halo effects around lamp and shrine, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, ornate arch framing the scene, intricate floral borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: quiet Bhāgīrathī bank with delicate ripples, eclipse-shadowed sky, a lone devotee with brass lamp and flower plate, distant temple and trees; fine brushwork, cool blues and greys, lyrical naturalism, refined faces, soft Himalayan foothill silhouettes.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized Gaṅgā ghāṭ with bold black outlines, eclipse disc overhead, devotee in profile offering lamp, Gaṅgā personified as a serene goddess emerging from waves; natural pigments, temple-wall aesthetic, large expressive eyes, dominant reds/yellows/greens with deep blue river band.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Gaṅgā bank transformed into a devotional tableau with lotus motifs and floral borders, central lamp-offering, peacocks near the water, subtle Viṣṇu presence as śaṅkha-cakra emblems in the sky; deep indigo background, gold highlights, intricate patterned textiles and lotuses."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","conch shell","soft crowd murmur","eclipse hush/silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पापात्सन्तरो = पापात् + सन्तरः (त् + स); भवेन्नृपः not in this verse; other words mostly unsandhied.
FAQs
It highlights the Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā) riverbank as a prime tīrtha-location where religious acts are said to yield heightened spiritual fruit.
By pairing “doing” a prescribed act with “worshipping” (pūjā), the verse frames liberation from sin not only as ritual performance but as reverential devotion expressed through worship.
It teaches intentional, timely sacred action: performing meritorious rites and worship—especially in holy places and auspicious times—supports moral purification and turning away from sinful conduct.