Shloka 14
The Greatness of Śukla Tīrtha: Bathing, Fasting, Charity, and Śiva Worship
शुक्लतीर्थं महापुण्यं नद्यां तु संव्यवस्थितम् । चाणिक्योनाम राजर्षिः सिद्धिं तत्र समागतः
śuklatīrthaṃ mahāpuṇyaṃ nadyāṃ tu saṃvyavasthitam | cāṇikyonāma rājarṣiḥ siddhiṃ tatra samāgataḥ
มีท่าน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์อันเปี่ยมมหาบุญชื่อว่า ศุกละ-ตีรถะ ตั้งอยู่ริมสายนที ณ ที่นั้น ราชฤๅษีนาม จาณิกยะ ได้บรรลุสิทธิอันสมบูรณ์
Unspecified narrator (contextual purāṇic narration; commonly framed within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue in Padma Purāṇa)
Concept: A tirtha’s sanctity is demonstrated through realized exemplars: association with a holy place and its disciplines can culminate in siddhi (spiritual perfection).
Application: Seek environments that support practice—pilgrimage, retreats, temples, riversides—and learn from exemplars; let place, discipline, and intention align.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A broad river flows past a radiant ford marked by white stones and a simple banner bearing the name Śukla-tīrtha. The rājarṣi Cāṇikya, crowned yet austere, stands waist-deep in the current with folded hands, while subtle halos and lotus petals drifting on the water suggest his attainment of siddhi.","primary_figures":["Rājarṣi Cāṇikya","river-deities (optional, subtle)","attendant sages (optional)"],"setting":"riverbank tīrtha with pale stones, small marker shrine, distant forest line","lighting_mood":"divine radiance over calm water","color_palette":["moonstone white","lapis blue","lotus pink","pale gold","forest green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Rājarṣi Cāṇikya at Śukla-tīrtha standing in lapis-blue river, gold leaf halo and water highlights, ornate crown yet ascetic posture, white stone ghāṭa, small shrine marker with traditional iconography, rich reds/greens in textiles, gem-like detailing and heavy ornamental border with lotus motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined royal-sage figure with delicate facial features, cool river palette, soft mist, white stones marking the ford, gentle naturalism with lyrical trees, subtle aura around the sage, minimal but elegant composition.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized river bands, bold outlines, Cāṇikya with large expressive eyes and simplified crown, bright yellow-red-green pigments, decorative floral border, small shrine emblem at the bank, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: river-ford framed by dense lotus borders, floating lotus blossoms around the sage, peacocks on the bank, deep blues with gold accents, intricate textile patterns on the sage’s garments, devotional symmetry and ornate detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","soft cymbals","distant temple bell","wind in trees"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चाणिक्योनाम = चाणिक्यः + नाम; कैलासाच्चापि (in next verse) similar type. Here no further mandatory splits.
FAQs
It presents Śukla-tīrtha as a specific holy ford located on a river, showing how the Padma Purāṇa maps sanctity onto particular river-sites (tīrthas) as part of its sacred geography.
By stating that a rājarṣi (royal sage) ‘attained siddhi’ at the tīrtha, it links pilgrimage and sacred place-association with inner perfection, implying that right practice at a holy site supports realization.
The verse suggests that sincere spiritual effort—whether by a householder-king or renunciate—can culminate in perfection, and that honoring sacred places (tīrthas) is a traditional aid to purification and focused practice.