Shloka 18
Tīrtha-vidhi (Procedure for Holy Places) — Prayāgarāja-māhātmya
यथोक्तफलदं तीर्थं भवेच्छुद्धात्मनां नृणाम् । कामं क्रोधं च लोभं च यो जित्वा तीर्थमाविशेत् । न तेन किञ्चिदप्राप्तं तीर्थाभिगमनाद्भवेत् । तीर्थानि च यथाक्तेन विधिना संचरंति ये । सर्वद्वंद्वसहा धीरास्ते नराः स्वर्गगामिनः ॥ १८ ॥
yathoktaphaladaṃ tīrthaṃ bhavecchuddhātmanāṃ nṛṇām | kāmaṃ krodhaṃ ca lobhaṃ ca yo jitvā tīrthamāviśet | na tena kiñcidaprāptaṃ tīrthābhigamanādbhavet | tīrthāni ca yathāktena vidhinā saṃcaraṃti ye | sarvadvaṃdvasahā dhīrāste narāḥ svargagāminaḥ || 18 ||
Ang tīrtha na nagbibigay ng bungang sinabi sa mga śāstra ay para lamang sa mga taong may dalisay na puso. Ang sinumang nagwagi sa pagnanasa, galit, at kasakiman at saka pumasok sa tīrtha—sa gayong paglalakbay-dambana, wala nang bagay na hindi niya matatamo. At yaong lumilibot sa mga tīrtha ayon sa itinakdang paraan, matatag at matiisin, na nagtitiis sa lahat ng magkatambal na pagsalungat—ang gayong mga tao ay patutungo sa langit (svarga).
Narada (teaching in the Uttara-Bhaga tīrtha-māhātmya context; traditional dialogue frame with Sanatkumāra lineage)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that tīrthas give their full, promised results only when approached with inner purification—especially mastery over desire, anger, and greed—making pilgrimage a discipline of character, not mere travel.
By insisting on self-restraint and purity as prerequisites for sacred visitation, it aligns pilgrimage with sincere devotional intent: the devotee approaches holy places with a cleansed heart, steady in dualities, thereby becoming fit for higher spiritual fruits.
It emphasizes observance of the proper vidhi (prescribed procedure) for tīrtha-yātrā—i.e., disciplined ritual conduct and rule-based practice—rather than technical Vedāṅga details like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.