Shloka 85
Tīrtha-Māhātmya Sequence: Sacred Fords, Baths, Gifts, and Śrāddha
Narmadā-Belt Itinerary
यत्र स्नात्वा तु राजेंद्र सर्वसंपदमाप्नुयात् । ततः पश्चिमतो गच्छेन्मरुतालयमुत्तमम्
yatra snātvā tu rājeṃdra sarvasaṃpadamāpnuyāt | tataḥ paścimato gacchenmarutālayamuttamam
Hỡi Đại vương, tắm gội tại nơi ấy thì đạt được mọi phú quý. Rồi tiếp đó, đi về phương tây, nên đến trú xứ tối thắng của Marut.
Unspecified narrator addressing a king (rājendra) within the Svarga-khaṇḍa pilgrimage context
Concept: Snana at a properly praised tirtha becomes a dharmic means to prosperity and auspiciousness, and pilgrimage is undertaken as a disciplined sequence (krama-yatra).
Application: Approach sacred acts with order and intention: purify oneself, follow a planned route, and treat ‘prosperity’ as the fruit of disciplined dharma rather than anxiety-driven striving.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal pilgrim-king stands at the edge of a luminous tirtha, hands joined, as priests indicate the western path with a staff. In the distance, the ‘abode of Marut’ appears as a wind-swept celestial pavilion with fluttering banners and swirling clouds, suggesting the subtle presence of Vāyu.","primary_figures":["pilgrim-king (rājendra)","tirtha-priest/ācārya","personified Vāyu/Marut (subtle, in clouds)"],"setting":"riverbank/ghāṭa with stone steps, wayfinding shrine markers, distant western horizon with a cloud-temple","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron gold","river-jade green","cloud-pearl white","indigo horizon","vermillion accents"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a crowned rājendra at a stepped ghāṭa offering añjali after snāna, priests pointing west; a distant Marutālaya as a cloud-temple with gold leaf halos and swirling wind motifs, rich reds and greens, heavy gold leaf embellishment, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconography and ornate borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate riverbank scene with the king and a sage-guide, slender trees and soft clouds; the western sky opens into a lyrical wind-palace, cool blues and greens, refined faces, fine linework, Himalayan-like atmospheric depth and gentle gradients.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, the king at the ghāṭa with stylized waves; Marut suggested as a divine figure within spiraling cloud forms, temple-wall aesthetic, large expressive eyes, natural pigments dominated by red/yellow/green with gold-like highlights.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a sacred waterbody framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; the pilgrim-king at the center, westward banners and peacocks animated by wind, deep blues and gold, dense ornamentation, devotional symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","conch shell (soft)","wind through flags"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सर्वसंपदमाप्नुयात् = सर्वसंपदम् + आप्नुयात्; गच्छेन्मरुतालयम् = गच्छेत् + मरुतालयम्; मरुतालयमुत्तमम् = मरुतालयम् + उत्तमम्.
FAQs
It frames pilgrimage as a sequence of locations: after bathing at one sacred site, the pilgrim is instructed to move westward to another—Marutālayam—showing an itinerary-like mapping of holy places.
By presenting worship through embodied practice—pilgrimage and sacred bathing—followed by going to a deity’s abode (Marut), it highlights devotional action (karma infused with reverence) as a means to divine favor and well-being.
Prosperity is linked to disciplined sacred conduct: respectful observance of tīrtha-bathing and purposeful movement to holy sites, implying that ordered, reverent practice supports both spiritual and worldly flourishing.