Shloka 87
Kurukṣetra and Sarasvatī Tīrthas: Pilgrimage Itinerary and the Sanctification of Rāma-hrada
Paraśurāma’s Lakes
व्यासेन नृपशार्दूल द्विजार्थमिति नः श्रुतम् । सर्वतीर्थेषु स स्नाति मिश्रके स्नाति यो नरः
vyāsena nṛpaśārdūla dvijārthamiti naḥ śrutam | sarvatīrtheṣu sa snāti miśrake snāti yo naraḥ
Ó tigre entre os reis, ouvimos que Vyāsa declarou isto em favor dos duas-vezes-nascidos (dvija): quem se banha em Miśraka é tido como tendo-se banhado em todos os tīrthas.
Unspecified narrator addressing a king (vocative: nṛpaśārdūla); exact dialogue pair not provided in the excerpt.
Concept: A single properly authorized tīrtha, approached with śraddhā, can bestow the fruit of many pilgrimages.
Application: Choose one sacred practice/place and perform it with consistency and faith rather than scattering effort; honor scriptural guidance and lineage testimony.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal pilgrim, crowned yet barefoot, steps into a luminous ford named Miśraka while unseen currents shimmer with the symbolic presence of many rivers. Above the water, faint translucent emblems of famed tīrthas—Prayāga’s triveṇī, Kāśī’s ghāṭs, Puṣkara’s lotus lake—hover like blessings, as Vyāsa’s authority is implied by a distant hermitage silhouette.","primary_figures":["a king-pilgrim (nṛpaśārdūla)","sage Vyāsa (as a subtle, visionary presence)","tīrtha-devatās (symbolic)"],"setting":"A sacred river-ford with stone steps, banyan and aśvattha trees, small shrines and a pilgrim rest-house; distant āśrama smoke rising.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","lotus pink","gold leaf","river-pearl white","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Miśraka-tīrtha snāna scene with a regal pilgrim at the ghāṭ, stylized waves in sapphire blue, Vyāsa’s āśrama in the background, haloed tīrtha-emblems floating above the water; heavy gold leaf embellishment on crowns, halos, and shrine arches, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet river confluence rendered with delicate brushwork, cool blues and soft greens, the king-pilgrim offering añjali before entering the water; faint visionary vignettes of other tīrthas in cloud-like cartouches, refined faces, lyrical trees and distant hills, subtle saffron accents.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, flat yet vibrant pigments; the pilgrim-king at the ford with stylized lotus motifs, Vyāsa suggested as a seated sage in an inset panel; strong red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall aesthetic, large expressive eyes, ornamental borders of water and lotuses.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: river-ghāṭ framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; central snāna at Miśraka with symbolic miniature tīrthas arranged like mandala medallions above the water; deep blues and gold, peacocks on the banks, devotional symmetry and fine textile-like detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","soft conch shell","pilgrim murmurs"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: द्विजार्थमिति = द्विजार्थम् + इति.
FAQs
It teaches the exceptional merit of bathing at the tīrtha called Miśraka—so highly praised that it is said to equal bathing at all sacred tīrthas.
It frames the statement as a remembered authoritative teaching attributed to Vyāsa, presented as guidance for dvijas (traditionally Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Vaishya) who follow Vedic dharma and pilgrimage disciplines.
It emphasizes faith in scriptural testimony and the idea that concentrated devotion and proper ritual at a single revered place can be spiritually equivalent to extensive pilgrimage.