Shloka 35
Episode of Vena: The Power of Association and Revā (Narmadā) Tīrtha
तीर्थानां च प्रभावेण सतां संगाद्द्विजोत्तमाः । नाशयेत्पापिनां पापं दहेदग्निरिवेंधनम्
tīrthānāṃ ca prabhāveṇa satāṃ saṃgāddvijottamāḥ | nāśayetpāpināṃ pāpaṃ dahedagniriveṃdhanam
Hỡi các bậc dvija tối thượng, nhờ uy lực của các tirtha và nhờ được gần gũi bậc hiền thánh, tội lỗi của kẻ tội nhân bị tiêu trừ—như lửa thiêu rụi củi nhiên liệu.
Unspecified (narrative voice within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa context; addressing 'dvijottamāḥ')
Concept: Tīrtha-prabhāva and sat-saṅga together destroy even entrenched sin, as fire inevitably burns fuel.
Application: Seek regular company of ethically steady, devotional people; pair pilgrimage/temple visits with humility, confession of faults, and a concrete vow to abandon harmful habits.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A pilgrim stands at the threshold of an ancient tīrtha, hands folded, while a circle of serene sages radiate quiet power. In the foreground, a small sacrificial fire flares, and dark smoke shaped like ‘sins’ dissolves into a clear sky, visually echoing ‘fire consuming fuel’.","primary_figures":["pilgrim (generic)","dvijottamāḥ (brahmin sages)","Agni (symbolic fire)"],"setting":"Riverbank tīrtha with stone ghāṭas, a modest yajña-kuṇḍa, tulasī pots near a small Viṣṇu shrine, distant banyan and peepal trees.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron orange","ash white","river jade","sandalwood beige","gold leaf"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a riverbank tīrtha with stone ghāṭas and a small Viṣṇu shrine, sages with serene faces seated around a blazing yajña fire; the fire rendered with gold leaf halos and embossed flames, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on the shrine, stylized lotuses and ornate arch framing the scene; visual metaphor of dark pāpa-smoke dissolving into luminous gold background.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate sages in white garments on a quiet riverbank, a small fire pit with thin curling smoke, soft Himalayan-like hills in the distance, lyrical trees and birds; cool yet warm dawn gradient, refined facial features, subtle depiction of ‘sins’ as fading dark wisps; minimal architecture, emphasis on contemplative space.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, flat natural pigments; sages with large expressive eyes around a bright orange-red yajña fire, a small Viṣṇu icon on a pedestal with yellow halo; stylized river waves and lotus motifs; strong red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall aesthetic, symbolic pāpa as dark forms being consumed by flame.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a tīrtha scene framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; central glowing fire as a devotional symbol, small Viṣṇu shrine with hanging lamps, peacocks near the ghāṭa steps; deep indigo background with gold highlights, delicate white sages, and patterned textiles; emphasis on sacred auspiciousness rather than realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft crackle of fire","flowing water","distant conch shell","morning birds"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: संगाद्द्विजोत्तमाः = सङ्गात् + द्विजोत्तमाः (त् + द → द्द); नाशयेत्पापिनां = नाशयेत् + पापिनाम् (त् + प → त्प); दहेदग्निरिवेंधनम् = दहेत् + अग्निः + इव + इन्धनम् (त् + अ → द; ः + इ → रि; इव + इन्धनम् → इवेंधनम्)।
FAQs
It presents tīrthas as spiritually potent spaces whose very “efficacy” (prabhāva) can aid purification and the removal of sin.
The verse pairs outer sacred space (tīrtha) with inner moral-spiritual influence (association with the holy), implying that transformation is strongest when both are present.
Just as fire consumes fuel completely, sincere contact with sanctity—through tīrtha and the virtuous—can thoroughly burn away accumulated wrongdoing, encouraging repentance and reform.