Shloka 26
The Account of Sukalā and the Greatness of Nārī-tīrtha
Wife-Assisted Śrāddha and Pitṛ-Liberation
वरं दत्वा प्रजग्मुस्ते स्तूयमानाः पतिव्रताम् । नारीतीर्थं समाख्यातमन्यत्किंचिद्वदामि ते
varaṃ datvā prajagmuste stūyamānāḥ pativratām | nārītīrthaṃ samākhyātamanyatkiṃcidvadāmi te
ఆమెకు వరమిచ్చి, ఆ పతివ్రతను స్తుతిస్తూ వారు బయలుదేరిరి. ‘నారీ-తీర్థం’ అని ప్రసిద్ధమైన తీర్థం ఇలా చెప్పబడింది; ఇక నీకు మరికొంత వివరిస్తాను.
Unspecified narrator (context-dependent within Padma Purana Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogues)
Concept: Tīrthas are sanctified not only by waters but by exemplary conduct; the pativratā’s virtue becomes a bridge (tīrtha) for others.
Application: Honor sacred places by aligning behavior with the virtue they commemorate; when visiting a tīrtha, practice restraint, truthfulness, and reverence, and dedicate merit to family and society.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At the threshold of a serene riverside ford named Nārī-tīrtha, devas hover in a gentle aureole, extending a boon to a steadfast pativratā whose hands are folded in humility. As they depart, their praises ripple through the air like mantras, while the tīrtha’s waters gleam as if absorbing the merit of her virtue, and the narrator gestures onward to the next sacred account.","primary_figures":["Pativratā woman (Sukalā or the praised devoted wife)","Devas (a small assembly)","Gandharvas (optional, as attendants)","Narrator-sage/voice figure (optional)"],"setting":"Riverside ford with stone steps (ghāṭa), banyan and aśvattha trees, small shrine marker naming ‘Nārī-tīrtha’","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["river-silver","saffron gold","leaf green","vermillion","sky blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Nārī-tīrtha ghāṭa with a small shrine and lotus arch; the pativratā in traditional attire with modest ornaments, devas above granting a boon with raised hand; lavish gold leaf on halos, shrine finials, and water highlights; rich reds/greens, jewel-like detailing, symmetrical composition with ornate borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: quiet river ford with pale stone steps, delicate trees and birds; the pativratā rendered with refined features and soft textiles; devas as lightly painted luminous figures in the sky; cool blues and gentle ochres, lyrical naturalism, subtle storytelling gestures indicating ‘now I tell you further’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, flat pigments; the pativratā centered at the ghāṭa, devas in a curved upper register; stylized waves and lotus motifs; dominant reds/yellows/greens with controlled shading; temple-wall narrative panel labeling the tīrtha through iconographic signage.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: decorative ghāṭa framed by dense floral borders and lotus clusters; shimmering water patterned with repeating motifs; celestial figures arranged like a devotional procession; deep blues and gold, intricate textile ornamentation, peacocks near the waterline to suggest auspiciousness."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","soft chimes","distant veena drone","birds at dawn","gentle conch (transition)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रजग्मुःते = प्रजग्मुः + ते; नारीतीर्थं समाख्यातम् अन्यत् किञ्चित् वदामि ते (समाख्यातमन्यत्किंचित् = समाख्यातम् + अन्यत् + किञ्चित्).
FAQs
The verse closes a narrative episode: a boon is granted, the praisers depart, and the narrator signals a transition from the account of “Nārī-tīrtha” to the next topic.
“Pativratā” denotes a wife steadfast in fidelity and dharma, often presented as spiritually potent and worthy of praise within Purāṇic ethics.
Bhūmi-khaṇḍa frequently maps sacred geography and merit-producing sites; tīrtha narratives connect moral exemplars (like a pativratā) with places of pilgrimage and religious practice.