Shloka 66
Tīrtha-Māhātmya of the Sarasvatī Region and the Praise of Kurukṣetra
Pilgrimage Merits
गंगाह्रदश्च तत्रैव कूपश्च भरतर्षभ । तिस्रः कोट्यस्तु तीर्थानां तस्मिन्कूपे महीयते
gaṃgāhradaśca tatraiva kūpaśca bharatarṣabha | tisraḥ koṭyastu tīrthānāṃ tasminkūpe mahīyate
Wahai yang terbaik dalam keturunan Bharata, di sana juga ada sebuah tasik Gaṅgā dan sebuah perigi. Dalam perigi itu, tiga krore tīrtha dimuliakan sebagai hadir di dalamnya.
Unspecified (narrator addressing a listener as 'bharatarṣabha')
Concept: Sacred waters can function as a 'tīrtha-sangraha'—a condensed embodiment of many holy places—making grace accessible through one focused pilgrimage.
Application: When visiting a revered well/pond, treat it as a living sacred presence: bathe respectfully, avoid pollution, offer prayers/dāna, and carry the attitude that holiness can be concentrated in small acts and places.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A stone-lined well beside a tranquil Gaṅgā-hrada glows with an inner light; within its water, countless miniature reflections of famous tīrthas appear—tiny ghats, temples, and river confluences swirling like a mandala. Pilgrims lean in with lamps and lotas, sensing that the well is a portal where sacred India gathers into one shimmering circle.","primary_figures":["pilgrims","tīrtha-devatā presences (subtle)","Gaṅgā (personified as a gentle goddess motif, optional)"],"setting":"lakeside near Gaṅgā-hrada, ancient masonry well, banyan shade, small shrine niches, offerings of flowers and lamps","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["deep indigo","emerald green","gold leaf","pearl white","marigold orange"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a radiant sacred well beside a Gaṅgā lake, the well-water painted as a luminous mandala containing tiny icon-like tīrthas and temples; thick gold leaf highlights on ripples and halos, rich reds/greens, ornate border, gem-like embellishments on the well rim and shrine.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate lakeside composition with delicate pilgrims, a cool blue-green hrada, and a well whose water shows miniature vignettes of many tīrthas like reflections; fine brushwork, soft atmospheric perspective, lyrical trees and distant hills.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized well and lake with patterned water, multiple small tīrtha icons arranged in concentric circles inside the well; bold outlines, flat yet vibrant pigments, temple-wall symmetry, decorative lotus and creeper borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central sacred well as a circular medallion filled with miniature tīrtha scenes, surrounded by lotus borders, peacocks, and hanging lamps; deep blues with gold detailing, rhythmic floral patterns, devotional textile symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["water lapping","pilgrim murmurs","temple bells","wind in banyan leaves","occasional conch"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गंगाह्रदश्च = गंगाह्रदः + च; कूपश्च = कूपः + च; कोट्यस्तु = कोट्यः + तु (ः + त → स्त्); तस्मिन्कूपे = तस्मिन् + कूपे (न् + क → ङ्क).
FAQs
It presents a concentrated sacred geography: a Gaṅgā-associated lake and a well where innumerable tīrthas are said to be present, implying that sanctity can be localized and accessed at a single spot.
By magnifying the holiness of a specific place linked with Gaṅgā and tīrthas, it encourages devotional reverence (śraddhā) toward sacred sites as supports for worship and spiritual practice.
It promotes respect for sacred places and traditions—approaching them with humility and faith—suggesting that honoring dharmic institutions is itself a meritorious act.