Shloka 64
Pilgrimage Sequence on Sacred Fords (Narmadā Region): Bhṛgu-tīrtha, Śiva-vratas, and Merit Amplification
तत्फलं लभते राजन्स्नातमात्रस्तु मानवः । मासि भाद्रपदे चैव शुक्लपक्षस्य चाष्टमीम्
tatphalaṃ labhate rājansnātamātrastu mānavaḥ | māsi bhādrapade caiva śuklapakṣasya cāṣṭamīm
Tâu Đại vương, chỉ cần tắm gội thanh tịnh, con người liền đạt đúng công đức ấy—nhất là vào ngày Aṣṭamī (mùng tám) của nửa tháng sáng trong tháng Bhādrapada.
Unspecified (context-dependent narrator addressing a king)
Concept: Right time (tithi) + right act (snāna) at a tīrtha amplifies merit; sacred time is a spiritual technology.
Application: Mark auspicious tithis, keep a simple discipline (purity, restraint, charity), and perform a sincere bath/prayer—especially when major pilgrimages are not possible.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At Eraṇḍī-tīrtha, devotees step into the water at sunrise on Bhādrapada śukla aṣṭamī, holding copper lotas and offering arghya. A priest points to a lunar calendar board, while the sky shows a bright waxing moon motif, suggesting sacred time aligning with sacred place.","primary_figures":["devotees (men and women)","a priest/timekeeper (pañcāṅga reader)","king (optional observer)"],"setting":"River ford with ghāṭ steps, small pavilion where pañcāṅga is read, lamps and flags, offerings on leaf plates","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["sunrise amber","turquoise water","white cotton","marigold orange","soft silver (moon)"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Bhādrapada śukla aṣṭamī snāna at Eraṇḍī-tīrtha, devotees with copper vessels, priest holding pañcāṅga, shrine with gold leaf halo, rich reds/greens, ornate borders, gold leaf on jewelry and lamp flames, auspicious calendrical symbols subtly embedded.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle dawn bathing scene with delicate ripples, a small pavilion where a sage-priest reads the calendar, refined figures in pale garments, cool water tones with warm amber sky, lyrical naturalism and fine ornament detail.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized ghāṭ and devotees in profile, bold outlines, priest with palm-leaf manuscript/pañcāṅga, saturated reds/yellows/greens, temple mural framing with auspicious motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: rhythmic line of bathers at the ford, lotus and floral borders, deep blue-green water field with gold highlights, small calendar motif and moon symbol, intricate decorative repetition and devotional symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["flowing water","soft bell chimes","murmured mantras","birds at dawn"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tatphalaṃ → tat phalam; rājansnātamātrastu → rājan snāta-mātraḥ tu; caiva → ca eva; śuklapakṣasya → śukla-pakṣasya; cāṣṭamīm → ca aṣṭamīm.
FAQs
The verse highlights snāna (ritual bathing) as a practice that yields the same spiritual merit (“that fruit”) when performed on a particularly auspicious calendrical time.
It specifies Bhādrapada month, bright fortnight (śukla-pakṣa), on the eighth lunar day (Aṣṭamī).
It underscores that sincere, time-honored religious acts—done at auspicious times—can grant significant merit even through a simple act like bathing, emphasizing accessibility of dharma to ordinary people.