Shloka 183
Puṣkara Sacrifice: Gāyatrī’s Marriage, Sāvitrī’s Wrath, Rudra’s Test, and the Tīrtha-Māhātmya
स्मर्तव्या भूमिकामैर्वा तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि तेग्रतः । सावित्री पुष्करे नाम तीर्थानां प्रवरे शुभे
smartavyā bhūmikāmairvā tatpravakṣyāmi tegrataḥ | sāvitrī puṣkare nāma tīrthānāṃ pravare śubhe
Hoặc đối với người ước cầu các địa vị (từng bậc) của pháp tu, điều ấy cũng đáng ghi nhớ. Nay Ta sẽ nói thẳng trước mặt ngươi: Tīrtha mang danh Sāvitrī tại Puṣkara—cát tường, bậc nhất trong các thánh địa.
Unspecified (narrator continuing a dialogue; commonly transmitted as Pulastya speaking to Bhīṣma in Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa contexts)
Concept: Sacred geography is to be remembered and approached in stages (bhūmikā); naming a tīrtha is itself a devotional act that orients the seeker toward siddhi.
Application: Create a ‘tīrtha calendar’: periodically visit a local sacred water/temple, and daily ‘remember’ (smaraṇa) one holy place to cultivate steadiness and aspiration.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sunlit view of Puṣkara: the sacred lake glitters with steps (ghāṭs), pilgrims carrying water pots, and a temple spire rising beyond. A sage-teacher gestures as if ‘mapping’ the holy land in speech, while the name ‘Sāvitrī’ seems to shimmer above the water like a mantra made visible.","primary_figures":["Sage narrator (Pulastya-like teacher figure)","Pilgrims (siddhi-seekers)","Sāvitrī/Devī as a subtle presiding presence"],"setting":"Puṣkara lake ghāṭs with temples, flags, banyan/peepal trees, and distant Aravalli hills.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["desert ochre","turquoise water","marigold orange","white marble","vermillion red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Puṣkara lake with stepped ghāṭs, central Devī Sāvitrī seated on a lotus with gold leaf halo, pilgrims offering lamps and water; rich reds/greens, embossed gold on jewelry and temple spires, ornate lotus borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate rendering of ghāṭs and calm lake, pilgrims in soft textiles, sage pointing toward a small Sāvitrī shrine; cool morning palette with lyrical hills, fine facial features and gentle narrative clarity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized lake bands and temple tower, Devī Sāvitrī with characteristic large eyes and bold outlines; warm yellow-red-green pigments, rhythmic patterns on ghāṭ steps and borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central lotus-lake motif with concentric floral borders; vignettes of pilgrims performing snāna and dīpa-dāna; deep blue water, gold highlights, peacocks and lotuses framing the Puṣkara sanctity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["ghāṭ bells","water lapping on steps","pilgrim murmurs","conch shell (temple)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: bhūmikāmaiḥ + vā -> bhūmikāmairvā (Visarga to 'r'); te + agrataḥ -> tegrataḥ (Purvarupa Sandhi).
FAQs
It highlights Puṣkara as a key pilgrimage center and identifies the Sāvitrī-tīrtha there as especially auspicious and preeminent among holy places.
By elevating a specific tīrtha as “foremost,” the verse encourages devotional remembrance and pilgrimage-oriented piety—common bhakti expressions tied to sacred landscapes.
The verse models faithful transmission: remember what is worthy of remembrance, and communicate sacred knowledge plainly and directly for the benefit of the listener.