Shloka 45

Prahlada's Tirtha Circuit — Prahlada’s Pilgrimage Circuit: Tirtha-Mahatmya from Naimisha to Rudrakoti and Shalagrama

Devanagari script

प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य तरुं वरुणं चार्च्य बुद्धिमान् भूयः कुरुध्वजं दृष्ट्वा पद्माख्यां नगरी गतः

Transliteration

pradakṣiṇīkṛtya taruṃ varuṇaṃ cārcya buddhimān bhūyaḥ kurudhvajaṃ dṛṣṭvā padmākhyāṃ nagarī gataḥ

Translation

The wise one, having circumambulated the sacred tree and having worshipped Varuṇa, then again, upon seeing Kurudhvaja, went to the city called Padmākhyā.

Speakers

• Narratorial voice continuing the tirtha-route description.

Primary Deities

• Varuna

Key Themes

• Sthala-vṛkṣa veneration (tree-cult within tirtha practice)
• Pradakṣiṇā as a core act of reverence
• Varuṇa worship (water/cosmic order)
• Pilgrimage itinerary and sacred urban geography

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the significance of circumambulating a tree in a tirtha itinerary?

A taru can function as a sthala-vṛkṣa—an embodied marker of the site’s sanctity. Pradakṣiṇā acknowledges the living axis of the place, often linked to local myths, vows (vrata), or deity presence, even when the Purāṇa does not specify the tree’s species.

Why is Varuṇa worship mentioned alongside local landmarks?

Varuṇa represents waters and ṛta (cosmic/moral order). In a geography-centered Purāṇa, invoking Varuṇa sacralizes hydrological and ethical dimensions of the landscape—especially appropriate when the itinerary moves through pools, tirthas, and water-associated stations.

Are ‘Kurudhvaja’ and ‘Padmākhyā’ likely to be symbolic or literal places?

In Mahātmya-style passages, such names usually function as literal toponyms or shrine-markers used by pilgrims (dhvaja as a visible standard). They may also carry layered symbolism (kuru = Kuru-region resonance; padma = lotus/auspiciousness), but the primary Purāṇic intent is cartographic: to list visitable nodes in a sacred route.