Shloka 44
Kurukṣetra and Sarasvatī Tīrthas: Pilgrimage Itinerary and the Sanctification of Rāma-hrada
Paraśurāma’s Lakes
तत्र स्नात्वार्चयित्वा च देवानिह पितॄंस्तथा । कपिलानां सहस्रस्य फलं विंदति मानवः
tatra snātvārcayitvā ca devāniha pitṝṃstathā | kapilānāṃ sahasrasya phalaṃ viṃdati mānavaḥ
तत्र स्नात्वार्चयित्वा च देवानिह पितॄंस्तथा । कपिलानां सहस्रस्य फलं विन्दति मानवः ॥
Unspecified (narratorial voice within Svarga-khaṇḍa’s tīrtha-māhātmya context)
Concept: Integrated dharma—snāna (purification), deva-arcana (devotion), and pitṛ-tarpaṇa (ancestral duty)—multiplies merit comparable to great gifts.
Application: When visiting sacred places, combine personal purification with gratitude practices: worship, remembrance of elders, charitable giving according to capacity.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At Kapilā-tīrtha, a devotee emerges from the water and performs arcana: flowers and incense offered to a small altar of the devas, then a quiet tarpaṇa gesture toward the river for the pitṛs. In the background, a symbolic procession of a thousand tawny cows appears like a golden mirage—visualizing the verse’s merit-equivalence.","primary_figures":["devotee performing snāna and arcana","deva icons on a small altar","pitṛs as subtle river-mist forms","tawny cows (symbolic vision)"],"setting":"riverbank altar with kusa grass, water pot, lamps, and offering plates; nearby hermitage trees and stone steps","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["warm ochre","ghee-lamp gold","river teal","smoke gray","flower vermilion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: devotee at Kapilā-tīrtha offering flowers and incense at a small altar, pitṛ-tarpaṇa at the water’s edge, a radiant golden vision of tawny cows behind, heavy gold leaf for lamps and halos, rich maroon and emerald textiles, ornate borders and jewel-like highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate riverbank ritual scene with delicate offerings, thin incense smoke, soft translucent pitṛ silhouettes over water, distant line of tawny cows rendered as poetic symbolism, cool greens and blues with warm ochre accents, refined faces and gentle naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized devotee with bold outlines, altar with lamps and flowers, pitṛs as pale forms above the river band, cows as rhythmic ochre silhouettes, temple-wall composition with red/yellow/green pigments and ornamental frame.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate floral borders, river rendered in deep indigo with gold ripples, central ritualist with offerings, cows patterned in repeating tawny motifs like a textile procession, lotus and vine decorations, devotional symmetry and intricate detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["lamp crackle","mantra murmurs","flowing water","soft bell chimes"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्नात्वार्चयित्वा = स्नात्वा + अर्चयित्वा; देवानिह = देवान् + इह; पितॄंस्तथा = पितॄन् + तथा; विंदति = विन्दति (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद)
FAQs
Bathing at the sacred place (tīrtha-snāna) followed by worship of the devas and offerings/rites for the pitṛs (ancestors).
The verse states that one attains merit equivalent to the fruit of donating a thousand kapila (tawny) cows—an archetypal high-value gift in dharma literature.
It emphasizes integrated dharma: honoring both divine beings (devas) and one’s lineage (pitṛs), showing that reverence, gratitude, and ritual purity are central to accruing puṇya.