Shloka 15
The Greatness of the Revā (Narmadā): Release from the Piśāca Curse
शृणुष्वावहितो विप्र पापनाशो ध्रुवं नृणाम् । रेवास्नानेन जायेत इति मे निश्चिता मतिः
śṛṇuṣvāvahito vipra pāpanāśo dhruvaṃ nṛṇām | revāsnānena jāyeta iti me niścitā matiḥ
ഹേ വിപ്രാ, ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ കേൾക്കുക—മനുഷ്യരുടെ പാപനാശം നിശ്ചയമായും റേവാസ്നാനത്തിലൂടെയാണ് ഉണ്ടാകുന്നത്; ഇതാണ് എന്റെ ദൃഢമായ നിശ്ചയം.
Unspecified narrator/sage addressing a brāhmaṇa (vipra) within the Svarga-khaṇḍa dialogue context
Concept: Faithful attention (āvahita) to tīrtha teaching and performance of Revā-snana yields certain destruction of sin.
Application: Approach sacred practices with attentiveness rather than haste; let conviction be grounded in śāstra and saintly testimony, then act consistently.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: river
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teaching voice addresses a seated brāhmaṇa disciple on a riverbank, pointing toward the flowing Revā as if the river itself is the scripture made visible. The disciple listens with focused stillness while the water glints with purifying light, suggesting certainty and trust.","primary_figures":["teaching sage/narrator","brāhmaṇa (vipra) disciple","Revā river (as sacred presence)"],"setting":"Riverbank classroom: kusa mat, palm-leaf manuscript, water pot, small Vishnu emblem (conch/chakra) near a simple shrine.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["warm amber","river blue","sand beige","copper","holy ash white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: sage instructing a vipra beside a stylized river; gold leaf on the river’s highlights and halos; rich red-green drapery, ornate border with conch and lotus motifs, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: quiet riverbank discourse with refined faces; manuscript and kamaṇḍalu details; soft light reflecting on water, cool blues and gentle ochres, delicate foliage and distant hills.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, warm yellow-red palette; sage gesturing toward the river; vipra in attentive posture; stylized wave band and lotus motifs, mural-like framing.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: riverbank teaching framed by intricate floral borders; deep indigo water with gold accents; lotus clusters and peacocks; subtle Vaishnava symbols (chakra, shankha) integrated into the border."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","soft bell punctuations","pages rustling (implied)","birds"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शृणुष्वावहितो→शृणुष्व अवहितः; रेवास्नानेन→रेवास्नानेन (समास); अन्यत्र स्पष्ट-सन्धि न।
FAQs
It presents the Revā as a powerful tīrtha where the act of bathing (snāna) is said to reliably lead to pāpa-nāśa (the removal of sin), highlighting the river’s purificatory status in the Svarga-khaṇḍa.
It reinforces the common Purāṇic theme that sacred bathing at specific rivers and pilgrimage sites functions as a purifying discipline, especially when done with attentiveness and faith.
The instruction suggests that spiritual counsel should be received with focus and seriousness; purification is not only a physical act (bathing) but also tied to mindful receptivity and intent.