Shloka 100
Tīrtha-Māhātmya Sequence: Sacred Fords, Baths, Gifts, and Śrāddha
Narmadā-Belt Itinerary
तत्र तीर्थं समुत्पन्नं विष्णुः प्रीतो भवेदिह । अहोरात्रोपवासेन ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति
tatra tīrthaṃ samutpannaṃ viṣṇuḥ prīto bhavediha | ahorātropavāsena brahmahatyāṃ vyapohati
وہاں ایک تیرتھ ظہور پذیر ہوا ہے؛ وہاں وشنو راضی ہوتے ہیں۔ ایک دن اور ایک رات کا اُپواس کرنے سے برہمن ہتیا کا پاپ دور ہو جاتا ہے۔
Unspecified (narrative voice within the Svarga-khaṇḍa dialogue context)
Concept: Tīrtha-sevā combined with disciplined fasting becomes a direct means of pāpa-kṣaya, even for grave sins, when oriented to pleasing Viṣṇu.
Application: Undertake periodic day-and-night fasting with prayerful remembrance of Viṣṇu, and pair austerity with pilgrimage/temple-visits as a conscious act of inner purification rather than mere ritual.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A secluded sacred ford has just ‘arisen’—its waters shimmer with a subtle lotus-like radiance, as if Viṣṇu’s presence has sanctified the very current. A lone pilgrim stands on the bank in austere stillness, hands folded, completing an ahorātra fast while a faint, compassionate form of Viṣṇu is perceived in the water’s reflection.","primary_figures":["Vishnu","a fasting pilgrim (yatri)","tirtha-devata (optional personification)"],"setting":"river-ford/tīrtha ghat with stone steps, small shrine, and banyan-peepal shade; offerings arranged neatly on a leaf-plate","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","lotus pink","gold leaf","river-silver","sandalwood beige"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Viṣṇu appearing above a newly manifested tīrtha, conch and discus gleaming, gold leaf halo and ornate arch, a fasting pilgrim at the ghat with folded hands, rich vermilion and emerald accents, gem-studded ornaments, stylized waves and lotus motifs, temple-lamp glow reflected on water.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet Himalayan-like river ford with delicate ripples, a solitary pilgrim in white completing an all-day fast, Viṣṇu’s subtle presence suggested in a luminous reflection, fine brushwork on foliage, cool blues and soft pinks, lyrical naturalism and refined faces, distant hills and a small shrine under trees.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined Viṣṇu with serene eyes and elaborate crown hovering above the tīrtha, stylized ghat steps and flowing water patterns, natural pigment palette with dominant blues/greens and warm reds, ritual austerity conveyed by the pilgrim’s simple posture, temple-wall aesthetic and symmetrical composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Viṣṇu-centered tīrtha scene framed by intricate floral borders and lotus clusters, deep indigo water with gold highlights, a devotee observing ahorātra-upavāsa at the ghat, peacocks and sacred trees at the margins, ornate textile-like detailing and devotional symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","conch shell","silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भवेदिह = भवेत् + इह; अहोरात्रोपवासेन = अहोरात्र + उपवासेन (compound in instrumental); verb root for व्यपोहति is from अपोह्/ऊह् with prefixes वि+अप (to remove).
FAQs
It presents a tīrtha as a divinely potent place—one where Viṣṇu is specifically said to be pleased—implying that location-based sacredness and pilgrimage are integral to religious practice in the Svarga-khaṇḍa.
By stating that Viṣṇu becomes pleased at this tīrtha, the verse frames religious merit around pleasing the deity; the fast functions as a devotional act (upavāsa) aligned with Vaiṣṇava piety.
It underscores the gravity of harming the learned and virtuous (brāhmaṇas) while also teaching that disciplined penitential practices—here, a day-and-night fast—are prescribed as means of moral and spiritual rectification.