Shloka 34
Glorification of Prayāga
The Gaṅgā–Yamunā Confluence
अश्वमेधफलं तस्मिन्स्नातमात्रस्य भारत । यावच्चन्द्रश्च सूर्यश्च तावत्स्वर्गे महीयते
aśvamedhaphalaṃ tasminsnātamātrasya bhārata | yāvaccandraśca sūryaśca tāvatsvarge mahīyate
โอ ภารตะ ผู้ใดเพียงอาบน้ำ ณ ที่นั้น ย่อมได้บุญเท่าอัศวเมธยัญ; ตราบใดที่จันทร์และอาทิตย์ยังดำรงอยู่ ผู้นั้นย่อมได้รับการสรรเสริญในสวรรค์
Unspecified narrator addressing Bhārata (traditional epic-style address; likely within a Pulastya–Bhīṣma discourse context in Svarga-khaṇḍa)
Concept: A single act of faith-filled bathing at a potent tīrtha can yield vast merit and enduring heavenly honor.
Application: When visiting sacred waters, bathe with sankalpa, gratitude, and ethical resolve; let the ‘mere bath’ remind one that sincerity can outweigh complexity.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At Haṃsa-prapātana, a devotee steps into the Gaṅgā’s bright current; as water touches the forehead, a radiant vision unfolds—celestial beings lift a garland and a golden parasol, honoring the bather in svarga. Above, the sun and moon appear together in a symbolic sky, marking the promise ‘as long as they endure’.","primary_figures":["pilgrim devotee","Gaṅgā (river goddess, optional)","celestial attendants (apsaras/gandharvas)","symbolic sun and moon"],"setting":"Sacred ford on the Gaṅgā with white-sand banks and swans; a faint celestial court layered in the sky.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","lotus pink","gold leaf","pearl white","sunlit amber"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central bather at Gaṅgā ford with gold leaf ripples, celestial attendants offering a golden parasol and garland, sun and moon as jeweled medallions in the upper register, rich crimson-green borders, ornate crowns and gem-studded ornaments, inscription panel naming Aśvamedha-tulya phala.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant riverbank with swans, a single devotee bathing, translucent heavenly figures in the sky bestowing honor, soft pastel sun and moon sharing the horizon, delicate brushwork and refined facial expressions, lyrical atmosphere.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic bather and Gaṅgā motif with bold outlines, stylized devas honoring the devotee, sun and moon as circular emblems, warm pigment palette with temple-wall symmetry and decorative borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: deep blue river with gold highlights, lotus clusters and swans, celestial honor scene framed by ornate floral borders, sun and moon medallions above, intricate textile detailing and devotional cartouches."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing river","conch shell","temple bells","soft choral hum"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तस्मिन्+स्नातमात्रस्य→तस्मिन्स्नातमात्रस्य (न्-सन्धि); यावत्+चन्द्रः→यावच्चन्द्रः (त्→च् before च); चन्द्रः+च→चन्द्रश्च (विसर्गसन्धि); सूर्यः+च→सूर्यश्च; तावत्+स्वर्गे→तावत्स्वर्गे (त् remains before s).
FAQs
A simple sacred bath (snāna) at the referenced holy place is praised as producing extraordinary merit.
The verse equates the merit of merely bathing there with the fruit of performing the Aśvamedha sacrifice.
The reward is described as lasting as long as the moon and the sun endure—i.e., an immeasurably long, cosmic duration.