Shloka 55
Pilgrimage Sequence on Sacred Fords (Narmadā Region): Bhṛgu-tīrtha, Śiva-vratas, and Merit Amplification
तीर्थस्नानं तु यद्दानमक्षयं तस्य तद्भवेत् । चंद्रसूर्योपरागेषु वृषोत्सर्गमनुत्तमम्
tīrthasnānaṃ tu yaddānamakṣayaṃ tasya tadbhavet | caṃdrasūryoparāgeṣu vṛṣotsargamanuttamam
तीर्थे स्नात्वा यद्दानं दत्तं तस्याक्षयपुण्यं भवति। चन्द्रसूर्योपरागेषु वृषोत्सर्गोऽनुत्तमः स्मृतः॥
Unspecified (context-dependent within Svarga-khaṇḍa narration)
Concept: Merit becomes inexhaustible when dāna is yoked to tīrtha-snana and performed at cosmically potent times (eclipses).
Application: When giving charity, pair it with inner/outer purification (bath, prayer, restraint) and choose spiritually significant times; give responsibly (support cows, dharma, food, medicine) with humility.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a riverbank tīrtha at the moment of eclipse, pilgrims emerge from sacred waters with wet hair and folded palms, then place gifts into the hands of brahmins and the needy. Nearby, a richly adorned bull is ceremonially released—garlanded, horn-tipped with gold, its hooves touching the sand as the eclipsed sun/moon glows like a darkened jewel behind thin clouds.","primary_figures":["pilgrims","brahmin recipients","a consecrated bull (vṛṣa)","tīrtha-deities as subtle presences"],"setting":"broad river ghat with stone steps, banyan and peepal trees, small shrine with lamps, eclipse sky overhead","lighting_mood":"eerie eclipse twilight with ritual lamp-glow","color_palette":["smoky indigo","lamp-flame amber","river-silver","saffron ochre","gold leaf"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: eclipse-time river ghat with devotees performing tīrtha-snana and offering dāna, a garlanded bull being released as vṛṣotsarga; heavy gold leaf halo effects around lamps and shrine icons, rich vermilion and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on donors, ornate arch framing the ghat, sacred austerity expressed through symmetrical composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical riverside scene under a softened eclipse sky, delicate figures in profile offering gifts after bathing, a gentle bull stepping forward with flower garlands; cool blues and greys for the sky, fine linework for rippling water, distant hills and trees, refined facial features and quiet devotional gestures.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined devotees at a ghat, stylized river waves, eclipse disc rendered as a dramatic celestial motif; warm red/yellow/green palette with black contours, temple-lamp highlights, the bull depicted with iconic ornamentation and sacred markings, mural-like flat perspective and rhythmic repetition of forms.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: tīrtha ghat filled with lotus motifs and floral borders, eclipse disc above as a decorative mandala, devotees offering dāna, a sacred bull garlanded; deep blue background, gold detailing, intricate border vines, peacocks near the water, devotional abundance and pattern-rich composition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","temple bells","murmuring river","soft crowd chant","low eclipse-time hush"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यद्दानमक्षयं = यत् दानम् अक्षयम्; तद्भवेत् = तत् भवेत्
FAQs
The verse presents tīrtha-bathing as a sanctifying condition that amplifies the spiritual fruit of dāna, making its merit described as enduring or inexhaustible (akṣaya).
It recommends vṛṣotsarga—traditionally understood as the meritorious gifting/releasing of a bull—as an unsurpassed act of charity during eclipses.
It emphasizes purposeful generosity: giving at sacred times and places is portrayed as especially fruitful, encouraging disciplined charity aligned with dharma.