Shloka 15
The Greatness of Śukla Tīrtha: Bathing, Fasting, Charity, and Śiva Worship
एतत्क्षेत्रं समुत्पन्नं योजनावृत्तिसंस्थितम् । शुक्लतीर्थं महापुण्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्
etatkṣetraṃ samutpannaṃ yojanāvṛttisaṃsthitam | śuklatīrthaṃ mahāpuṇyaṃ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam
Kawasan suci ini telah terwujud, melingkari sejauh satu yojana. Inilah Śukla-tīrtha, amat besar pahalanya, dan memusnahkan segala dosa.
Unspecified narrator (context not provided for the dialogue frame)
Concept: Sacred space is not vague: the kṣetra has a defined extent, and entering it with right conduct is proclaimed to dissolve sins.
Application: Create ‘kṣetra’ in daily life: set boundaries for purity—times/places for prayer, fasting, and reflection—so that practice becomes consistent and transformative.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A bird’s-eye view reveals Śukla-tīrtha-kṣetra as a luminous circle one yojana wide, marked by a ring of white stones and flowering groves, with the river threading through like a silver ribbon. As travelers cross the boundary, dark smoky motifs (symbolic sins) dissolve into light, emphasizing sarva-pāpa-praṇāśana.","primary_figures":["pilgrims crossing a boundary marker","guardian sages (optional)","personified pāpa dissolving (symbolic)"],"setting":"mapped sacred precinct around a river-ford, boundary stones, groves, small shrines at cardinal points","lighting_mood":"high noon clarity with a sanctified glow","color_palette":["chalk white","silver","emerald green","sunlit gold","charcoal gray (dissolving)"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: aerial sacred-map composition of Śukla-tīrtha-kṣetra, circular boundary with gold leaf highlights, silver river ribbon, four small shrines at cardinal points, pilgrims entering as dark pāpa-smoke dissolves into golden light, ornate lotus border, rich reds/greens for garments, gem-studded decorative elements.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate cartographic landscape, circular grove boundary, shimmering river, tiny pilgrims on paths, subtle symbolic dark-to-light transition near the boundary, cool greens and silvers, refined detailing and lyrical naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized circular kṣetra with bold outlines, patterned trees, river bands, pilgrims in simplified poses, dramatic contrast of dark pāpa motifs turning into bright yellow-gold, temple-wall palette and ornamental border.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical circular sacred precinct filled with lotus and floral motifs, river as central axis, decorative borders dense with vines, peacocks and cows near the ghāṭa, gold accents showing purification, devotional textile richness."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["gentle flowing water","soft drone (tanpura)","temple bell at intervals","rustling leaves","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: एतत्क्षेत्रम् = एतत् + क्षेत्रम्.
FAQs
It describes a defined sacred zone measured as a one-yojana circuit, showing that tīrthas are mapped as specific, bounded pilgrimage landscapes rather than abstract ideas.
By praising the tīrtha as ‘mahāpuṇya’ and ‘destroyer of all sins,’ it supports devotional pilgrimage and reverence for holy places as practical aids to purification and spiritual progress.
The verse highlights accountability and purification: wrongdoing (pāpa) has consequences, and sincere engagement with sacred practices—such as tīrtha pilgrimage—functions as a commitment to inner and outer cleansing.