Shloka 30

Prahlada's Tirtha Circuit — Prahlada’s Pilgrimage Circuit: Tirtha-Mahatmya from Naimisha to Rudrakoti and Shalagrama

Devanagari script

ततो ऽस्यां वरणायं च तीर्थेषु च पृथक् पृथक् सर्वपापहराद्येषु स्नात्वार्ऽच्य पितृदेवताः

Transliteration

tato 'syāṃ varaṇāyaṃ ca tīrtheṣu ca pṛthak pṛthak sarvapāpaharādyeṣu snātvār'cya pitṛdevatāḥ

Translation

Then, in this (city/region), and at the Varāṇā (river) as well, and at the various tīrthas one by one—beginning with those that remove all sins—having bathed, he worshipped the Pitṛs and the deities.

Speakers

• Narratorial voice describing ritual sequence at Kāśī’s tirthas.

Primary Deities

• Pitrs (ancestors)
• Devas (collective deities)

Key Themes

• Pilgrimage circuits (tīrtha-parikramā logic)
• Sin-removal through snāna
• Pitṛ-tarpaṇa and ancestral worship
• Multi-tīrtha ritual sequencing in Kāśī

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "karuna", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What does ‘pṛthak pṛthak’ imply about the practice described?

It indicates a sequential pilgrimage circuit: the pilgrim bathes and performs worship at multiple distinct tīrthas, treating each as a separate ritual node rather than a single generalized bath.

Is ‘Sarvapāpahara’ a specific place or a general epithet?

In Purāṇic tīrtha catalogues, ‘sarvapāpahara’ can function both ways: (1) as a descriptive epithet for especially potent tīrthas, and (2) as a proper name for a particular bathing spot in some local enumerations. The verse’s phrasing ‘ādyeṣu’ (“beginning with…”) fits either reading, signaling that the circuit starts with the most sin-destroying site(s).

Why are Pitṛs worshipped alongside devatās in a Kāśī itinerary?

Kāśī is portrayed as a comprehensive ritual landscape where obligations to gods and ancestors converge. Bathing at tīrthas is paired with pitṛ-kriyā (e.g., tarpaṇa/śrāddha-related offerings) to complete dharmic duties and maximize the merit of the pilgrimage.