Shloka 25
The Greatness of Śukla Tīrtha: Bathing, Fasting, Charity, and Śiva Worship
एकविंशत्कुलोपेतो न च्यवेच्चैश्वरात्पदात् । शुक्लतीर्थं परं तीर्थमृषिसिद्धनिषेवितम्
ekaviṃśatkulopeto na cyaveccaiśvarātpadāt | śuklatīrthaṃ paraṃ tīrthamṛṣisiddhaniṣevitam
ఇరవై ఒక వంశములతో యుక్తుడైన భక్తుడు ఐశ్వర్యపదం నుండి చ్యుతుడవడు. శుక్లతీర్థం పరమ తీర్థము; ఋషులు, సిద్ధులు సేవించిన పవిత్రస్థలం.
Unspecified (narratorial/continuing discourse within Svarga-khaṇḍa’s tīrtha-māhātmya context)
Concept: Association with a supreme tīrtha stabilizes one’s prosperity and status, extending benefit across generations/lineages.
Application: Cultivate ‘good lineage’ as values rather than mere birth: keep vows, protect family ethics, and periodically undertake pilgrimages or sacred retreats that reset priorities and strengthen character.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Śukla-tīrtha appears as a luminous ford where white sands meet clear water, and a procession of sages and siddhas—some earthbound, some subtly hovering—offer salutations. Above the ghāṭa, an unseen current of blessing seems to weave through generations, depicted as a garland of light linking ancestors and descendants.","primary_figures":["sages (ṛṣis)","siddhas","pilgrims","tīrtha guardian deity (subtle)"],"setting":"broad ghāṭa with ancient steps, hermitage huts in the distance, sacred trees with prayer-cloths, calm water reflecting sky","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["ivory","sky blue","sunlit gold","sage green","crystal silver"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: grand panoramic Śukla-tīrtha with sages and siddhas in reverence, gold leaf used to render the tīrtha’s ‘parama’ aura and lineage-garland of light, rich reds/greens on ascetic shawls, ornate borders, traditional iconographic symmetry with a central shrine element.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant riverside landscape with delicate brushwork, clusters of ascetics under trees, siddhas suggested by light halos and floating postures, cool blues and ivories, refined faces, lyrical naturalism emphasizing serenity and sanctity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized ghāṭa and trees, rows of sages with bold outlines, siddhas with circular halos, strong red/yellow/green palette balanced by ivory sands, temple-wall composition with rhythmic spacing.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: tīrtha as a sacred mandala—lotus borders, peacocks and floral vines, sages arranged in devotional symmetry, water rendered in deep blue with gold ripples, intricate textile patterns suggesting ‘kula’ continuity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","temple bells","river breeze","soft cymbals","distant Vedic chanting"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: cyaveccaiśvarātpadāt → cyavet ca aiśvarāt padāt; tīrthamṛṣisiddhaniṣevitam → tīrtham ṛṣi-siddha-niṣevitam.
FAQs
It praises Śukla-tīrtha as a “supreme” pilgrimage place, specifically noted as being frequented by ṛṣis (sages) and siddhas (perfected beings), which signals its exceptional sanctity.
The verse implies stability of spiritual or meritorious attainment—i.e., one who gains the described merit does not decline from an elevated state of divine favor, prosperity, or spiritual standing.
It promotes reverence for sacred places and the company/approval of the wise: a tīrtha validated by sages and siddhas is presented as a reliable locus for cultivating enduring merit and spiritual steadiness.