Shloka 31
Glorification of the Yamunā (Yamuna Mahatmya) and Prayāga’s Step-by-Step Aśvamedha Merit
श्रद्दधानपरो भूत्वा कुरु तीर्थाभिषेचनम् । अन्ये च बहवस्तीर्थाः सर्वपापहराः शुभाः
śraddadhānaparo bhūtvā kuru tīrthābhiṣecanam | anye ca bahavastīrthāḥ sarvapāpaharāḥ śubhāḥ
จงเป็นผู้ตั้งมั่นด้วยศรัทธาและความภักดี แล้วกระทำการอาบน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ณ ทิรถะนั้น อีกทั้งยังมีทิรถะอีกมากมาย อันเป็นมงคลและขจัดบาปทั้งปวง
Unspecified (narrative voice within Svarga-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Śraddhā-yukta tīrtha-snānā and pilgrimage orientation remove pāpa and generate śubha (auspicious merit).
Application: Approach any sacred act—bath, japa, temple visit—with deliberate faith and ethical intent; treat pilgrimage as inner cleansing (restraint, truthfulness) alongside outer bathing.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A pilgrim, hands folded in śraddhā, steps into a luminous tīrtha at dawn; the water surface reflects a faint, divine Viṣṇu-aura as if the ford itself is a threshold between worlds. Around the main ghat, smaller paths lead to multiple tīrthas—each marked by simple stone steps, flowering trees, and fluttering prayer-cloths—suggesting ‘many auspicious fords’ that erase sin.","primary_figures":["devout pilgrim (gṛhastha or vānaprastha)","invisible/auratic presence of Viṣṇu","tīrtha-purohita (optional)"],"setting":"riverbank ghāṭa with carved steps, small shrines, banyan and aśvattha trees, brass water-pot (kalaśa), offerings of flowers and sesame","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["lotus pink","saffron gold","river jade","stone gray","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a serene river-ghāṭa tīrtha at sunrise, central pilgrim offering arghya with folded hands, subtle Viṣṇu halo shimmering above the waters, ornate shrine pillars and archways, heavy gold leaf on the water highlights and deity aura, rich vermilion and emerald accents, gem-studded ornaments on the shrine icons, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate dawn over a winding river with multiple small tīrtha-ghāṭas, a lone pilgrim in white cloth stepping into water, soft mist, flowering trees and distant hills, refined faces and gentle gestures, cool blues and greens with a warm saffron horizon, lyrical naturalism and fine brushwork.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined river-ghāṭa with stylized waves, a devotee performing snāna and arghya, a faint Viṣṇu presence indicated by conch-disc motifs in the sky, temple-lamp elements at the ghat, natural pigment palette with dominant ochres, greens, and reds, large expressive eyes and rhythmic decorative borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: tīrtha scene framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs, multiple small ghāṭas symbolizing ‘many tīrthas’, peacocks and cows near the bank, deep blue water with gold highlights, central devotee offering flowers; subtle Vaishnava symbols (śaṅkha-cakra) woven into the border in Nathdwara-inspired ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","morning birds","soft conch shell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: bahavastīrthāḥ → bahavaḥ + tīrthāḥ.
FAQs
It recommends tīrtha-abhiṣecana—ritual bathing/ablution at a sacred tīrtha—performed with śraddhā (faithful intent).
No. It explicitly notes that there are many other tīrthas as well, all described as auspicious and capable of removing sins.
The emphasis is on inner disposition—approaching sacred acts with faith and devotion—while also affirming the purificatory intent of pilgrimage traditions.