Shloka 66
Tīrtha-Māhātmya Sequence: Sacred Fords, Baths, Gifts, and Śrāddha
Narmadā-Belt Itinerary
तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्दानं दत्वा च कांचनम् । अथवा नीलवर्णाभं वृषभं यः समुत्सृजेत्
tatra snātvā naro rājandānaṃ datvā ca kāṃcanam | athavā nīlavarṇābhaṃ vṛṣabhaṃ yaḥ samutsṛjet
ഹേ രാജാവേ, അവിടെ സ്നാനം ചെയ്ത് മനുഷ്യൻ സ്വർണം ദാനമായി നൽകണം; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ നീലവർണ്ണസദൃശമായ വൃഷഭത്തെ (കാളയെ) വിട്ടയക്കുന്നവനും നിശ്ചിത പുണ്യം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (addressing a king: 'rājan')
Concept: Purification is completed by generosity: snāna at a tīrtha should be sealed with dāna (gold or go-dāna) to convert personal merit into welfare-oriented dharma.
Application: When undertaking spiritual practices, add a concrete act of giving—supporting temples, feeding others, or ethical charity—so devotion becomes service.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At the ford, a pilgrim emerges from the water with wet hair and folded palms, while priests prepare a golden gift on a cloth. Nearby, a dark-blue bull is ceremonially released, garlanded and marked with auspicious tilaka, walking calmly toward open pasture as witnesses chant blessings.","primary_figures":["royal pilgrim (dānapati)","tīrtha-priest","dark-blue bull (vृषभ)"],"setting":"River ghāṭa with donation pavilion, ritual vessels, and a path leading to grazing fields","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["river-teal","sunrise gold","indigo blue","sandalwood beige","vermillion red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: ghāṭa scene with the donor-king offering gold to a priest, a garlanded dark-blue bull being released; thick gold leaf highlights on jewelry, donation vessels, and halo-like aureoles; rich reds/greens, ornate pillars and arch motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate riverside charity moment—soft ripples, delicate figures, the indigo bull stepping forward; fine linework, pastel dawn sky, refined textiles, small flowering trees and birds along the bank.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized ghāṭa with bold outlines, donor and priest in frontal-profile blend, indigo bull with decorative patterns; flat yet vibrant natural pigments, temple aesthetic, rhythmic symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: donation pavilion framed by lotus borders, the released bull adorned with floral garlands, attendants holding lamps; deep blues and gold, intricate floral filigree, peacocks near the waterline."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","mantra murmurs","cowbells","temple bells"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: राजन्दानं = राजन् + दानम् (नकार-सन्धि/अनुस्वार); कांचनम् = काञ्चनम् (अनुस्वार-लेखन); नीलवर्णाभं = नीलवर्णाभम् (अं→म्)।
FAQs
The verse prescribes charity after bathing—specifically gifting gold, or alternatively releasing a dark-hued bull as a meritorious donation.
In Purāṇic dharma, releasing an animal—especially a bull—functions as a formal act of dāna (charity) associated with accruing religious merit, often linked with vows, tīrtha rites, and post-bath offerings.
It emphasizes that pilgrimage or sacred bathing is to be completed with generosity—ritual purity is paired with ethical giving (dāna) as a concrete expression of dharma.