Shloka 49
Tīrtha-Māhātmya of the Sarasvatī Region and the Praise of Kurukṣetra
Pilgrimage Merits
उभयोर्हि नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । दानं वाप्युपवासो वा सहस्रगुणितो भवेत्
ubhayorhi naraḥ snātvā gosahasraphalaṃ labhet | dānaṃ vāpyupavāso vā sahasraguṇito bhavet
แท้จริง ผู้ใดอาบน้ำชำระที่ทิรถะทั้งสอง ย่อมได้บุญเท่ากับถวายโคหนึ่งพันตัว และทานใด ๆ หรือแม้การถืออุโบสถ ย่อมทวีผลเป็นพันเท่า
Unspecified (narratorial voice within the adhyaya; dialogue context not provided in the input)
Concept: Sacred context magnifies spiritual acts: snāna yields go-dāna-equivalent merit, and dāna or upavāsa performed there becomes thousandfold.
Application: Pair inner discipline (fasting, restraint) with outer supports (holy places, sacred times). Even small charity or a simple fast gains strength when done with devotion and right setting.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At two adjacent sacred ghāṭas, pilgrims complete a double snāna: first at Śata-sahasraka, then at Sāhasraka. A radiant, symbolic 'thousandfold' motif appears as repeating halos and lotus rosettes around acts of charity—hands offering coins, cloth, and food—while a fasting devotee sits calmly with a water pot untouched.","primary_figures":["pilgrims bathing","donor performing dāna","fasting devotee (upavāsī)","tīrtha priests (optional)"],"setting":"twin ghāṭas on the same river stretch, small shrines, donation pavilion, fasting area under a canopy","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit twilight blending into divine glow","color_palette":["deep blue","lamp-flame amber","gold leaf","marigold orange","ivory white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: twin tīrtha ghāṭas with devotees bathing; foreground donor offering dāna and an upavāsī seated in serene restraint; gold leaf used to depict 'thousandfold' radiance as repeating aureoles and lotus rosettes, rich reds/greens, ornate shrine architecture, gem-studded ornaments, embossed borders with conch/lotus patterns.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: two neighboring ghāṭas along a gentle river, delicate figures performing snāna, dāna, and quiet fasting; subtle visual repetition (rows of small lotus medallions) to suggest thousandfold merit; cool blues with warm amber lamps, refined facial expressions, lyrical devotional realism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized twin ghāṭas, donors and fasters in clear iconographic poses; repeated circular motifs around offerings to indicate multiplied fruit; red/yellow/green palette with natural pigments, temple-wall border patterns and symmetrical layout.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional tableau with twin water panels, intricate floral borders, lotus motifs multiplied across the cloth to symbolize sahasra-guṇa; donors offering at a pavilion, fasting devotee seated; deep blues and gold, peacocks and cows as auspicious side motifs, Vaishnava emblems woven into the border."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","conch shell","river flow","coin clink/offerings placed","soft group chanting"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: उभयोर्हि = उभयोः + हि; वाप्युपवासो = वा + अपि + उपवासः (अपि → प्य् before vowel).
FAQs
It teaches that bathing at both sacred sites grants immense merit, and that acts like charity or fasting performed in that context yield results multiplied a thousandfold.
It denotes merit comparable to the traditional high-value gift of a thousand cows—an idiom for exceptionally great religious fruit (puṇya).
It encourages disciplined, sincere practice—pilgrimage bathing, generosity, and self-restraint—by highlighting their amplified spiritual impact when done in a sacred setting.