Shloka 154
Brahmā’s Puṣkara Sacrifice and the Manifestation of Sarasvatī
with Tīrtha-Merit Teachings
स याति शुद्धदेहश्च ब्रह्मणः परमं पदं । तस्मिंस्तीर्थे तु यैर्दत्तं तिलमात्रं तु कांचनं
sa yāti śuddhadehaśca brahmaṇaḥ paramaṃ padaṃ | tasmiṃstīrthe tu yairdattaṃ tilamātraṃ tu kāṃcanaṃ
అతడు శుద్ధదేహుడై బ్రహ్ముని పరమపదాన్ని పొందుతాడు. ఆ తీర్థంలో తిలమాత్రమైన బంగారం దానం చేసినా మహాపుణ్యఫలము కలుగుతుంది.
Unspecified (narrative voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa Adhyaya 18)
Concept: At a potent tīrtha, even the smallest offering, made with śraddhā, becomes spiritually immense and purifies the embodied being toward higher lokas.
Application: Give consistently, even in small amounts, especially in sacred contexts; prioritize sincerity over scale; pair dāna with inner purification.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a serene river-ford sanctified by ancient rites, a humble pilgrim offers a tiny pinch of gold—no more than a sesame seed—into a priest’s palm beside a small altar. As the offering is made, the air shimmers with subtle divine approval, and a faint vision of Brahmaloka’s lotus-like radiance appears above the water, suggesting purification and ascent.","primary_figures":["pilgrim donor","tīrtha-priest (brāhmaṇa)","subtle celestial witnesses (gandharvas/apsarās as faint silhouettes)"],"setting":"riverbank tīrtha with stone steps (ghāṭa), kusa grass, small fire-altar, offering vessels, distant banyan and peepal trees","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron gold","river jade","lotus pink","ivory white","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sacred river-ghat tīrtha scene where a devotee offers a sesame-seed-sized gold gift to a brāhmaṇa priest; Vishnu’s unseen grace suggested by a radiant lotus-halo above the waters; heavy gold leaf embellishment on halos, ornaments, and the glinting offering; rich vermilion and emerald textiles; gem-studded jewelry; traditional South Indian iconographic detailing and ornate borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate river-ford with stepped ghāṭa, soft Himalayan-like atmospheric perspective; a modest donor extending a tiny gold pinch; lyrical naturalism in trees and rippling water; refined faces, pale sky wash; cool greens and blues with a gentle lotus-pink glow hinting at Brahmaloka’s lotus radiance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; river-ghat tīrtha with stylized waves; priest and donor in classical poses; a lotus-shaped aureole hovering above the water to signify purified ascent; dominant reds, yellows, and greens with controlled detailing and large expressive eyes.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate floral borders and lotus motifs framing a tīrtha riverbank; central act of tiny gold dāna; peacocks and cows at the margins as auspicious witnesses; deep blue water with gold highlights; intricate white floral filigree and temple-arch framing, Krishna-like divine presence implied through symbolic lotus and conch motifs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","soft temple bells","conch shell (distant)","morning birds"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शुद्धदेहश्च = शुद्धदेहः च; तस्मिंस्तीर्थे = तस्मिन् तीर्थे; यैर्दत्तं = यैः दत्तम्; कांचनं = काञ्चनम्
FAQs
It suggests that a tīrtha amplifies spiritual merit: even a very small act of charity performed there is portrayed as highly efficacious.
Yes. By highlighting a “sesame-seed measure” of gold, it implies that sincere giving—even in tiny amounts—can yield significant spiritual fruit when done in a sacred context.
The verse promotes dāna (charitable giving) and reverence for sacred places, teaching that purity of conduct and generosity are pathways to elevated spiritual states.