Shloka 53
The Account and Merit of Śivadūtī
with the Nāga-tīrtha at Puṣkara
नागतीर्थं ततो जातं पृथिव्यां भरतर्षभ । नागकुंडं च वै केचित्सरितं चापरेऽब्रुवन्
nāgatīrthaṃ tato jātaṃ pṛthivyāṃ bharatarṣabha | nāgakuṃḍaṃ ca vai kecitsaritaṃ cāpare'bruvan
Pagkaraan nito, O pinakamainam sa mga Bharata, nagkaroon sa lupa ng banal na Nāga-tīrtha. May ilan na tumawag dito na “Nāga-kuṇḍa,” at ang iba nama’y nagsabing ito’y isang ilog.
Unspecified narrator (addressing “bharatarṣabha” within the ongoing dialogue context of Adhyaya 31)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kecitsaritaṃ = kecit saritam; cāpare'bruvan = ca apare abruvan; nāgatīrthaṃ (compound) as subject with jātam.
FAQs
It presents a tirtha as a real, named sacred site on earth and shows that the same place can be remembered in multiple geographic forms—pond (kuṇḍa) or river (sarit)—reflecting living traditions of local identification.
Indirectly, it supports bhakti practice by highlighting tirtha-recognition and pilgrimage culture: sacred places are preserved through reverent naming and visitation, which are common devotional expressions even when explicit theology is not stated.
It models respect for transmitted tradition: different communities may describe the same sacred reality differently, yet the place remains worthy of reverence—encouraging humility and non-sectarian acceptance in sacred matters.