Shloka 4
Tīrtha-yātrā-varṇana
Description of Pilgrimage to the Sacred Fords
पूर्वाभाद्रपदायुक्ता पौर्णमासी यदा भवेत् । तदा पुण्यतमः कालोह्यश्वमेधफलप्रदः ॥ ४ ॥
pūrvābhādrapadāyuktā paurṇamāsī yadā bhavet | tadā puṇyatamaḥ kālohyaśvamedhaphalapradaḥ || 4 ||
Kapag ang araw ng kabilugan ng buwan (Paurṇamāsī) ay tumapat sa nakṣatra na Pūrvabhādrapadā, ang panahong iyon ay lubhang mapagpala—nagkakaloob ng bunga ng handog na Aśvamedha.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha/vrata context)
Vrata: Paurṇamāsī observance (general)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It identifies a highly auspicious tithi–nakṣatra conjunction: Paurṇamāsī with Pūrvabhādrapadā, declaring it a supreme punya-kāla capable of granting merit comparable to the Aśvamedha.
By elevating a specific sacred time, it supports the Purāṇic method of bhakti through timely vrata, pūjā, japa, and dāna—showing that devotion performed in an auspicious kāla is said to yield amplified spiritual fruit.
It reflects Jyotiṣa (a Vedāṅga) via tithi–nakṣatra coordination, teaching how calendrical/astronomical timing (Paurṇamāsī + Pūrvabhādrapadā) is used to determine punya-kāla for rites and observances.