Shloka 106
Tīrtha-Māhātmya Sequence: Sacred Fords, Baths, Gifts, and Śrāddha
Narmadā-Belt Itinerary
तत्र स्नात्वा तु राजेंद्र विष्णुलोके महीयते । नर्मदादक्षिणेकूले तीर्थं परमशोभनम्
tatra snātvā tu rājeṃdra viṣṇuloke mahīyate | narmadādakṣiṇekūle tīrthaṃ paramaśobhanam
तत्र स्नात्वा, राजेन्द्र, विष्णुलोके महीयते। नर्मदादक्षिणकूले तीर्थं परमशोभनम्॥
Unspecified narrator within the Svargakhaṇḍa’s dialogue context (addressing a king: rājendra).
Concept: Snāna at a sanctified river-tīrtha, performed with faith, becomes a bridge to Viṣṇu’s realm—ritual action transmuted into bhakti-fruit.
Application: Use sacred bathing (or symbolic ‘inner bathing’ through japa and repentance) as a reset: approach with intention, restraint, and remembrance of Viṣṇu; let purification lead to ethical living.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: river
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On the southern bank of the Narmadā, broad stone ghāṭ-steps descend into emerald water; pilgrims stand waist-deep, offering arghya as sunlight scatters like gold on ripples. Above the bank, a small shrine and fluttering flags mark the tīrtha, while a faint vision of Vaikuṇṭha—lotus-throne and śaṅkha-cakra—appears in the sky as the promised fruit.","primary_figures":["Pilgrim-king (rājendra)","River-goddess Narmadā (personified)","Viṣṇu (as Vaikuṇṭha vision)","Priests and pilgrims"],"setting":"Narmadā ghāṭ on the southern bank with steps, lamps, banyan trees, and a modest riverside temple; offerings of flowers and sesame float on the current.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["river emerald","sunlit gold","lotus pink","sandalwood beige","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Narmadā ghāṭ with pilgrims performing snāna and arghya; personified Narmadā with a gold halo rises from the waters; above, a small Vaikuṇṭha vignette with Viṣṇu holding śaṅkha-cakra, heavy gold leaf, rich reds/greens, ornate temple arch and gem-like highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: serene riverbank scene with delicate figures on stone steps; translucent green water, soft dawn sky, and a subtle celestial Vaikuṇṭha cloud-form; refined faces, lyrical trees, cool palette with warm sun accents.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized Narmadā as a goddess with flowing hair and pot of water; bold outlines, flat pigments; pilgrims in rhythmic rows on ghāṭ steps; a symbolic Viṣṇu emblem (śaṅkha-cakra) in the sky, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: river as a patterned band with lotus motifs; pilgrims offering flowers; central medallion of Viṣṇu’s śaṅkha-cakra above the ghāṭ; ornate floral borders, peacocks near banyan roots, deep blues and gold."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","conch shell","temple bells","morning birds","soft chanting"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: राजेंद्र = राजेन्द्र; नर्मदादक्षिणेकूले = नर्मदा-दक्षिणे-कूले (समास/सन्धि-विग्रह); परमशोभनम् = परम-शोभनम्; महीयते is passive/ātmanepada form from √मह्.
FAQs
It locates a particularly splendid tīrtha on the southern bank of the Narmadā, showing how the Padma Purāṇa maps spiritual merit onto specific riverine sites.
By linking a simple devotional act—bathing at a sacred place—with honor in Viṣṇu’s realm, it frames tīrtha-ritual as a Viṣṇu-oriented (Vaiṣṇava) means of attaining divine proximity.
It encourages reverence for sacred places and disciplined practice: sincere observance (like tīrtha-snān) is portrayed as spiritually transformative and worthy of divine recognition.