Shloka 9
Prayāga’s Supremacy Among Tīrthas: Faith, Yoga, Charity, and the Ethics of Attainment
यथैवान्यन्मया दृष्टं पुरा राजन्यथाश्रुतम् । शास्त्रं प्रमाणं कृत्वा तु पूज्यते योगमात्मनः
yathaivānyanmayā dṛṣṭaṃ purā rājanyathāśrutam | śāstraṃ pramāṇaṃ kṛtvā tu pūjyate yogamātmanaḥ
اے راجن! جیسے میں نے پہلے دیکھا اور جیسے سنا، شاستر کو معیارِ حجت مان کر آتما کے یوگ کو قابلِ تعظیم جان کر پوجنا چاہیے۔
Unspecified narrator addressing a king (rājan)
Concept: Take śāstra as the standard of truth and honor ātma-yoga (inner discipline/realization) as worthy of worshipful reverence.
Application: Let scripture-informed conscience guide practice; adopt a daily ‘ātma-yoga’ routine—japa, breath steadiness, sense-restraint, and offering actions to Nārāyaṇa—rather than chasing novelty.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage addresses a seated king beside a riverbank pavilion, holding a palm-leaf manuscript as the emblem of śāstra-pramāṇa. Behind them, a subtle inner-vision motif appears: a luminous lotus at the heart-center with a tiny Viṣṇu form (Paramātma) seated within, suggesting ‘ātma-yoga’ as reverent contemplation.","primary_figures":["sage-narrator","king (rājan)","symbolic Paramātma (Viṣṇu) within a heart-lotus"],"setting":"Riverside teaching pavilion near Prayāga ghats; manuscript stand, rosary, and water vessel present.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["deep blue","gold leaf","ivory","river teal","saffron"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: sage and king in formal dialogue composition, gold leaf halo around the sage and a radiant heart-lotus motif behind the king, palm-leaf śāstra with embossed gold edges, Viṣṇu as tiny Paramātma in the lotus, rich vermilion and emerald garments, ornate arch and lotus border with heavy gold leaf work.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined courtly riverside scene with gentle gestures, cool river palette and soft sunlight, manuscript details rendered delicately, translucent heart-lotus vision painted like a poetic overlay, minimal ornamentation, serene faces and balanced negative space.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, sage and king in profile-frontal hybrid, stylized manuscript and lotus-heart emblem, Viṣṇu icon simplified with characteristic eyes, red-yellow-green pigments with deep blue accents, temple-wall symmetry and decorative borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central dialogue panel framed by intricate floral borders, lotus-heart motif repeated as pattern, deep indigo ground with gold highlights, small Viṣṇu figure within lotus medallion, peacocks and lotuses along the river edge, devotional textile narrative aesthetic."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["flowing water","soft bell resonance","low conch drone","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यथैव = यथा + एव (अ + ए → ऐ). अन्यन्मया = अन्यत् + मया (त् + म → न्म). राजन्यथाश्रुतम् = राजन् + यथा + श्रुतम् (न् + य → न्य; यथा + श्रुतम् → यथाश्रुतम्). योगमात्मनः = योगम् + आत्मनः (म् + आ → मा).
FAQs
It states that śāstra should be taken as pramāṇa (the decisive standard) when honoring and practicing spiritual discipline, rather than relying only on personal opinion.
It points to an inward spiritual discipline aimed at realization and steadiness of the Self (ātman), grounded in scriptural guidance.
It advises humility and reliability in spiritual life: verify teachings through scripture and then honor/practice the authentic path with reverence.