Shloka 42
Kurukṣetra and Sarasvatī Tīrthas: Pilgrimage Itinerary and the Sanctification of Rāma-hrada
Paraśurāma’s Lakes
लोकोद्धारं समासाद्य तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् । स्नात्वा तीर्थवरे राजन्लोकानुद्धरते स्वकान्
lokoddhāraṃ samāsādya tīrthaṃ trailokyaviśrutam | snātvā tīrthavare rājanlokānuddharate svakān
ครั้นถึงทิรถะนามว่า ‘โลกอุทธาระ’ อันเลื่องลือทั่วไตรโลกแล้ว ข้าแต่พระราชา ผู้ใดอาบน้ำในทิรถะอันประเสริฐนั้น ย่อมยังหมู่ญาติของตนให้พ้น (หลุดพ้น) ได้
Unspecified (narrator addressing a king as 'rājan')
Concept: Tīrtha-snāna can become a vehicle of uplift for one’s lineage/community when performed with faith and right intention.
Application: Undertake pilgrimage or local sacred bathing with sankalpa for family welfare; pair ritual purity with ethical living and remembrance of ancestors.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A revered ford named Lokoddhāra opens like a luminous threshold: stone ghāṭs descend into clear, gently swirling water where a pilgrim-king’s envoy bathes with folded hands. Behind him, faint ancestral silhouettes rise like mist, suggesting liberation, while celestial beings scatter lotus petals over the famed tīrtha known across the three worlds.","primary_figures":["pilgrim devotee","ancestral spirits (pitṛs) as subtle forms","celestial attendants (gandharvas/apsarases)"],"setting":"ancient river-ghāṭ at a celebrated tīrtha with carved steps, banyan and aśvattha trees, small shrine with Viṣṇu symbols (śaṅkha-cakra)","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["lotus pink","sapphire blue","river jade","sunlit gold","ash-white mist"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Lokoddhāra-tīrtha on a grand ghāṭ, central pilgrim in añjali emerging from sacred water, subtle pitṛ-forms rising behind, small Viṣṇu shrine with śaṅkha-cakra, heavy gold leaf halos and borders, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on celestial attendants, ornate South Indian architectural motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: serene river ford with stepped ghāṭ, delicate ripples and lotuses, pilgrim in simple white cloth performing snāna and añjali, translucent ancestors in pale wash, distant hills and flowering trees, cool blues and soft greens, refined faces and lyrical naturalism, thin gold accents for divine fame.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, stylized ghāṭ and river, pilgrim with expressive eyes in añjali, pitṛs as pale ochre silhouettes, celestial figures with red-yellow-green costume blocks, temple-lamp motifs near a small Viṣṇu emblem, flat yet majestic composition like a sanctum wall painting.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: sacred river ford framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs, peacocks on the steps, celestial petals raining, central devotee bathing with devotion, deep indigo water with gold highlights, subtle Viṣṇu symbols on a small shrine, ornate textile-like detailing throughout."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","conch shell (distant)","soft wind in banyan leaves"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: लोक + उद्धारम् → लोकोद्धारम्; राजन् + लोकान् → राजन्लोकान्; लोकान् + उद्धरते → लोकानुद्धरते (न् + उ → नु).
FAQs
It states that bathing at this renowned tirtha enables a person to uplift or deliver their own people/kinsmen—implying the transfer of merit and spiritual benefit to one’s family or dependents.
The epithet signals exceptional sanctity and widespread sacred reputation, a common Purāṇic way of indicating that a place’s merit is universally acknowledged across cosmic realms.
The verse emphasizes pilgrimage and ritual purity (tirtha-snāna) not merely for personal gain but also for the welfare of one’s community and family, framing spiritual practice as socially responsible.