Shloka 34
The Glory of Śrāddha at Sacred Fords and the Determination of the Kutapa Time
महेंद्रं च तथा पुण्या पुण्या चापि महानदी । एतेष्वपि सदा श्राद्धमनंतफलदं स्मृतम्
maheṃdraṃ ca tathā puṇyā puṇyā cāpi mahānadī | eteṣvapi sadā śrāddhamanaṃtaphaladaṃ smṛtam
เช่นเดียวกัน ณ มเหนทรา ณ ปุณยา และ ณ ฝั่งมหานทีปุณยา—การประกอบศราทธะในสถานที่เหล่านี้ ย่อมเป็นที่จดจำว่าให้ผลไม่สิ้นสุดเสมอ
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context-dependent within Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa, Adhyaya 11).
Concept: Śrāddha performed at potent tīrthas yields ‘ananta-phala’—merit that is enduring and expansive, strengthening lineage continuity and dharmic order.
Application: Perform śrāddha/annual remembrance with sincerity; if travel is impossible, do it with tīrtha-smaraṇa, charity, and feeding of guests/priests as per capacity.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a serene riverbank, a householder in clean white cloth offers tarpaṇa with cupped hands, sesame seeds and water shimmering as they fall into the current. Behind him rise distant blue hills labeled ‘Mahendra,’ while sages chant softly; the river itself is personified as a gentle goddess receiving the offering, suggesting ‘ananta-phala’ flowing outward like the stream.","primary_figures":["gṛhastha performer of śrāddha","pitṛs (subtle ancestral forms)","river goddess (Puṇyā personified)","attending brāhmaṇa/sage"],"setting":"Quiet tīrtha-ghāṭa with kusa grass, śrāddha vessels, and a broad sacred river; distant hill-massif indicating Mahendra.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["ivory white","river jade","saffron","smoky blue","antique gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: śrāddha scene at a grand river-ghāṭa; central gṛhastha offering tarpaṇa, pitṛs shown as faint golden silhouettes in the upper register, river goddess with gold-leaf halo, ornate brass vessels, rich maroon borders, heavy gold embellishment on water ripples and temple steps.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate riverbank ritual with delicate lines; soft morning haze, cool blues and greens, refined facial features, small details of sesame and kusa, distant Mahendra hill in layered washes, gentle devotional quietude.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; stylized river goddess and ritual performer; flat fields of ochre, green, and red; temple-lamp motifs on the ghāṭa; pitṛs indicated as icon-like medallions above, emphasizing ritual order.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: riverbank framed by lotus borders; central tarpaṇa act with floral garlands; stylized waves in deep indigo and gold; small cow-and-peacock motifs in corners; decorative Sanskrit labels ‘Mahendra’ and ‘Puṇyā’ integrated into the border."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","soft mantra murmur","temple bell distant","morning birds","silence between verses"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चापि→च+अपि; एतेष्वपि→एतेषु+अपि; श्राद्धमनंतफलदं→श्राद्धम्+अनन्तफलदम्; maheṃdraṃ=महेंद्रम् (अनुस्वार/निग्रह).
FAQs
It lists specific sacred locales—Mahendra, Puṇyā, and a “great river”—as places where śrāddha is especially efficacious, reflecting the Purāṇic mapping of spiritual merit onto named landscapes.
Indirectly: by praising śrāddha performed at revered tīrthas, it promotes devotional reverence toward sacred places and tradition, where ritual acts are offered with faith and remembrance.
It underscores gratitude and responsibility toward one’s ancestors: honoring lineage through śrāddha is presented as a meritorious duty, especially when performed with sincerity in sanctified settings.