Shloka 18
Tīrtha-Māhātmya of the Sarasvatī Region and the Praise of Kurukṣetra
Pilgrimage Merits
त्वामेव भगवन्सर्वे प्रविशंति युगक्षये । देवैरपि न शक्यस्त्वं परिज्ञातुं कुतो मया
tvāmeva bhagavansarve praviśaṃti yugakṣaye | devairapi na śakyastvaṃ parijñātuṃ kuto mayā
ข้าแต่พระผู้เป็นเจ้า ครั้นสิ้นกัลป์สิ้นยุค สรรพสัตว์ทั้งปวงย่อมเข้าสู่พระองค์แต่ผู้เดียว แม้เหล่าเทวะก็ไม่อาจรู้จักพระองค์โดยสิ้นเชิง—แล้วข้าพเจ้าจะรู้ได้อย่างไร
Unspecified devotee/supplicant addressing Bhagavān (the Supreme Lord)
Concept: At cosmic dissolution all beings merge into the Supreme; the Supreme is ultimately unknowable even to gods—inviting humility and devotion rather than intellectual pride.
Application: Accept limits of control and knowledge; practice steady bhakti (japa, nāma-smaraṇa) as the reliable path when intellect reaches its edge.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vast cosmic ocean of dissolution spreads under a starless sky as worlds fade like embers; countless beings—gods, humans, spirits—stream as luminous particles into a single boundless form of Bhagavān. The supplicant stands tiny at the edge of infinity, hands folded, eyes lowered, as even the devas appear bewildered before the unfathomable radiance.","primary_figures":["Bhagavān (Supreme Lord)","devas (in the distance)","a humble supplicant"],"setting":"Pralaya-cosmos: dark waters, dissolving constellations, faint remnants of worlds turning into light-streams.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["deep black-blue","pearl white","electric sapphire","soft gold","smoke gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: colossal Bhagavān with an immense gold-leaf prabhā, streams of tiny beings entering His aura; embossed waves of pralaya-ocean, rich sapphire and gold contrasts; the supplicant in small scale at the bottom with folded hands, ornate border motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: poetic pralaya seascape with delicate washes; luminous particles drifting into a serene, infinite Lord-form; devas as small silhouettes; restrained palette with fine gold highlights and misty gradients.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized pralaya ocean bands, central radiant Bhagavān with bold outlines and large eyes; flowing lines showing beings merging inward; strong red/yellow/green accents against dark blue field.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: circular cosmic mandala where dissolving worlds become lotus-like motifs drawn into the central Bhagavān; deep indigo cloth, intricate gold dots as stars, floral borders, symmetrical devotional geometry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["low tanpura drone","silence between phrases","distant conch","soft wind over water"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: त्वामेव = त्वाम् + एव; भगवन्सर्वे = भगवन् + सर्वे; देवैरपि = देवैः + अपि; शक्यस्त्वं = शक्यः + त्वम्
FAQs
It reflects the Purāṇic idea of cosmic dissolution (pralaya), where all beings and worlds resolve back into the Supreme reality, who remains the ultimate ground of existence.
It states that even the devas cannot fully comprehend the Lord, emphasizing divine transcendence and the humility of the devotee, who recognizes that complete intellectual grasp is impossible.
It teaches humility and reverence: rather than claiming mastery over ultimate truth, one approaches the divine with surrender and devotion, acknowledging one’s limitations.