Shloka 2
Praise of Devotion to Viṣṇu
The Supremacy of Hari’s Name over All Tīrthas
एतेषां खलु तीर्थानां सेवनाद्यत्फलं लभेत् । सर्वेषां किल कृत्वैकं कर्म केन च लभ्यते
eteṣāṃ khalu tīrthānāṃ sevanādyatphalaṃ labhet | sarveṣāṃ kila kṛtvaikaṃ karma kena ca labhyate
Tunay nga, anong bunga ang matatamo sa paglapit at paglilingkod sa mga banal na tīrtha na ito? At sa paggawa ng anong iisang gawain makakamit ang pinagsamang kabutihang-loob ng lahat?
Unspecified in provided excerpt (context likely a question posed within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue common to Svargakhaṇḍa sections).
Concept: Seek the ekam karma—one concentrated act—that synthesizes the merit of many tīrthas, implying a hierarchy or essence of practice (often bhakti, nāma, or a key vrata).
Application: Instead of spiritual scattering, choose one core daily sādhana (nāma-japa, Ekādaśī observance, or dedicated worship) and let other practices support it.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage points toward a symbolic mandala of many tīrthas—miniature rivers, ghāṭs, and temples orbiting like stars—while asking for the single act that gathers their combined radiance. The scene feels like a spiritual map unfolding in the air, inviting the viewer to find the one luminous path through countless sacred options.","primary_figures":["questioning sage(s)","teaching sage (ācārya figure)","symbolic tīrtha-mandala (personified rivers/temples)"],"setting":"forest hermitage transformed by a visionary overlay: floating icons of confluences, temples, and sacred waters around the speaker","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["lapis blue","confluence green","incense grey","saffron gold","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central teacher-sage with gold halo, surrounding circular mandala of tiny tīrtha vignettes (Prayāga confluence, Gaṅgā ghāṭ, temple spires), heavy gold leaf outlining the mandala rings, rich reds and greens, ornate borders with conch-discus motifs, jewel-like highlights on water pots and shrines.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate visionary scene where small tīrtha landscapes float like medallions around the sages, cool blues/greens with saffron accents, refined facial expressions of inquiry, subtle cloud bands and Himalayan-like distance, intricate brushwork on rivers and ghāṭ steps.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined sages with a circular tīrtha-wheel behind them, stylized rivers as flowing bands, flat vibrant pigments (red/yellow/green/blue), temple-wall composition with symmetrical mandala geometry, large expressive eyes emphasizing the earnest question.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate circular composition with repeated lotus borders, central sages framed like a shrine, surrounding tīrtha medallions and kalasha motifs, deep blues with gold highlights, intricate floral creepers and peacock accents, devotional textile symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft drone (tanpura)","flowing water","temple bells distant","conch shell faint","forest birds"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सेवनाद्यत्फलं = सेवनात् + यत् + फलम् (त् + य → द्य); कृत्वैकं = कृत्वा + एकम् (आ + ए → ऐ).
FAQs
It asks (1) what spiritual result (phala) comes from serving and visiting sacred tīrthas, and (2) what single action could grant the combined merit of all such pilgrimages.
It acknowledges pilgrimage merit but also seeks a unifying practice—implying that inner discipline, devotion, or a concise dharmic act may equal or surpass extensive travel.
That dharma is not merely cumulative ritualism; it points toward a principle-based practice—an act rooted in sincerity and right intention that can integrate many religious duties.