Shloka 55
Brahmā’s Puṣkara Sacrifice: Kokāmukha Tīrtha, Varāha’s Aid, and the Arrival of Gāyatrī
विस्तीर्णं पुष्करे कृत्वा तीर्थं कोकामुखं हि तत् । वेदपादो यूपदंष्ट्रः क्रतुहस्तश्चितीमुखः
vistīrṇaṃ puṣkare kṛtvā tīrthaṃ kokāmukhaṃ hi tat | vedapādo yūpadaṃṣṭraḥ kratuhastaścitīmukhaḥ
เมื่อทรงทำให้กว้างใหญ่ ณ ปุษกระแล้ว ทิรถะนั้นย่อมชื่อว่า “โกกามุขะ” จริง—บาทคือพระเวท งาคือเสายัญ (ยูปะ) หัตถ์คือพิธียัญ และพักตร์คือไฟบนแท่นบูชา (จิติ)
Not explicitly stated in the provided excerpt (contextual narration within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa).
Concept: Tīrtha is not merely a place but a living embodiment of yajña; approaching it with reverence aligns the pilgrim with Vedic order (ṛta/dharma).
Application: Treat sacred places and daily duties as offerings: let study (Veda), discipline (yūpa-like steadiness), and service (kratu) become ‘limbs’ of one’s worship.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On the ghats of Puṣkara, the Kokāmukha-tīrtha manifests as a colossal, semi-translucent yajña-being rising from sacred waters—its feet inscribed with Vedic meters, tusks shaped like gleaming yūpa-posts, and hands formed of ritual implements. Pilgrims and sages stand in reverent stillness as the altar-fire face glows like a living citī, turning the lakeside into a cosmic sacrificial arena.","primary_figures":["Kokāmukha-tīrtha personified as Yajña-Puruṣa","pilgrims (brāhmaṇas, householders)","Vedic sages"],"setting":"Pushkar Lake ghats with stepped stone, small shrines, ritual platforms, and distant Aravalli hills; a sacrificial pavilion implied by banners and posts","lighting_mood":"golden dawn with divine radiance shimmering on water","color_palette":["sapphire blue","lotus pink","gold leaf","sandalwood beige","vermillion red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Kokāmukha-tīrtha as a majestic Yajña-Puruṣa emerging above Puṣkara Lake, Veda-inscribed feet, yūpa-tusk ornaments, altar-fire face, richly jeweled sacred threads and armlets; gold leaf halos and water highlights, deep red and emerald borders, temple ghat architecture, gem-studded embellishment, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: Puṣkara ghats and Aravalli hills in lyrical perspective, the Yajña-Puruṣa rendered with delicate linework—Vedic script motifs on feet, ivory yūpa-tusks, subtle flame-face; cool morning mist, refined sage faces, soft blues and pinks, intricate textiles, gentle ripples on the lake.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Bold black outlines and earthy pigments depict the towering Yajña-Puruṣa with stylized flame-face and ornate yūpa-tusks, Veda motifs as patterned limbs; ghat steps and ritual pavilion simplified into iconic forms, dominant reds/yellows/greens, large expressive eyes on attendant sages, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Sacred Puṣkara waters framed by ornate floral borders and lotus motifs; central Yajña-Puruṣa with altar-fire visage, surrounded by concentric rings of ritual symbols (yūpa, ladles, kusa), peacocks and cows at the margins, deep indigo background with gold detailing, Nathdwara-like decorative density."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","conch shell","soft Vedic chanting","flowing water","crackling fire"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: क्रतुहस्तः + चितीमुखः → क्रतुहस्तश्चितीमुखः (विसर्ग-सन्धि: स् + च → श्च).
FAQs
It places a specific tīrtha named Kokāmukha at Puṣkara and presents it as an expanded, eminent pilgrimage site, indicating Puṣkara’s prominence in the Purāṇic sacred landscape.
By describing the form with “Vedas as feet,” “yūpas as tusks,” “kratus as hands,” and “citī as face,” the verse sacralizes the tīrtha through yajña imagery, portraying it as embodied ritual order rather than merely a location.
The imagery suggests that pilgrimage is meant to align one’s life with dharma—grounded in sacred knowledge (Veda), disciplined practice (kratu), and consecration (citī)—so that external travel becomes an inner commitment to purity and right action.