Shloka 56
The Origin of the Lauhitya River
and the King of Tīrthas
तस्याः पतिव्रतात्वाच्च तीर्थात्तीर्थवरो हि सः । एवं यस्तु पठेन्नित्यं पुण्याख्यानमिदं शिवम्
tasyāḥ pativratātvācca tīrthāttīrthavaro hi saḥ | evaṃ yastu paṭhennityaṃ puṇyākhyānamidaṃ śivam
Oleh kerana keteguhan pativratā—kesetiaan suci kepada suami—maka tīrtha itu menjadi yang terbaik antara segala tempat suci. Demikianlah, sesiapa yang membaca setiap hari kisah Śiva yang penuh pahala dan berkat ini, memperoleh kebajikan yang agung.
Narrator (contextual Purāṇic dialogue; exact speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)
Concept: Personal dharma (pativratā fidelity) can consecrate a place into the highest tīrtha; śravaṇa/pāṭha of sacred narrative yields puṇya.
Application: Honor commitments and integrity in relationships; keep a daily recitation/listening practice (even a few verses) to cultivate purity and steadiness.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a broad riverbank, a devoted pativratā stands with wet hem from ritual bathing, offering water with cupped hands; the ford glows as if the river itself has become a luminous threshold. Pilgrims arrive with folded palms, while subtle Śiva-liṅga symbolism and auspicious signs indicate the ‘śiva’ (auspicious) nature of the account being recited daily.","primary_figures":["Pativratā devotee (unnamed)","Pilgrims/ṛṣis","Personified River Lauhitya","Śiva (as an auspicious presence, subtle/visionary)"],"setting":"River ford (tīrtha-ghāṭa) with stone steps, banyan and aśvattha trees, small shrine, and distant flowing Lauhitya.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["river blue","lamp-flame amber","stone gray","vermilion","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: pativratā at the ghāṭa offering arghya, the Lauhitya river rendered with stylized waves; gold leaf aura around the ford indicating tīrtha-vara status, gem-like ornaments on pilgrims, small shrine with liṅga and bells, rich reds/greens, ornate arch border with lotus and bilva motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle riverbank scene with delicate figures; pativratā in simple attire, pilgrims approaching, soft ripples of Lauhitya, trees and distant hills; cool blues and greens, fine facial features, lyrical naturalism, subtle glow around the ford.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined ghāṭa with river band, central pativratā in frontal pose offering water, pilgrims in side registers, small liṅga shrine; flat pigments, strong red-yellow-green palette, decorative borders with lotus and conch patterns.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate floral border and lotus motifs; central river ford with pilgrims, pativratā offering water; deep blue river with gold highlights, peacocks near the steps, intricate vines; include a small medallion suggesting daily pāṭha (open scripture) as a ‘kathā-tīrtha’."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","ghanta bells","soft conch","distant bird calls"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पतिव्रतात्वाच्च = पतिव्रतात्वात् + च (त्+च → च्च). तीर्थात्तीर्थवरः = तीर्थात् + तीर्थवरः (त् + त् → त्त्). यस्तु = यः + तु (ः + त → स्त). पठेन्नित्यम् = पठेत् + नित्यम् (त् + न → न्न).
FAQs
It states that the tīrtha’s supremacy is due to the spiritual power of a woman’s pativratā (steadfast marital fidelity), which sanctifies the place and elevates it above other sacred fords.
It functions as a phala-śruti, promising merit to the person who recites this auspicious Śiva-related sacred narrative daily, highlighting regular remembrance and listening/recitation as a path to puṇya.
The verse implies that personal virtue—especially steadfastness and integrity—has transformative spiritual effects, capable of sanctifying spaces and generating merit for oneself and others through sacred remembrance.