Vamana Purana — Glory of Prithudaka Tirtha, Shloka 2
The Glory of Prithudaka Tirtha and the Akshaya Tithi at Kurukshetra
यदा मृगशिरोऋक्षे शशिसूर्यौ बृहस्पतिः तिष्ठन्ति सा तिथिः पुण्या त्वक्षया परिगीयते
yadā mṛgaśiroṛkṣe śaśisūryau bṛhaspatiḥ tiṣṭhanti sā tithiḥ puṇyā tvakṣayā parigīyate
यदा मृगशिरो-नक्षत्रे शशिसूर्यौ बृहस्पतिश्च स्थिताः स्युः, तदा सा तिथिः परमपुण्या; सा ‘अक्षया’ इति परिगीयते, अक्षयपुण्यप्रदा।
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FAQs
The verse teaches that dharma is enacted through right action at the right time: aligning one’s vrata, dāna, or tīrtha-visit with auspicious kāla is said to stabilize merit (‘akṣaya’). Ethically, it encourages intentionality and disciplined observance rather than random piety.
It is ancillary dharma material (vrata-kāla-nirṇaya) rather than the five primary marks. Still, it supports Purāṇic function as a dharma-text by specifying calendrical conditions for heightened religious efficacy.
Placing Sun, Moon, and Jupiter together in a named nakṣatra sacralizes time itself: not only places are tīrthas—moments can be tīrthas. ‘Akṣayā’ symbolizes continuity: merit becomes ‘non-decaying’ when action harmonizes with cosmic rhythm.