What Has Got the Highest Purificatory Power in the World?
Now, Bhishma gives answer to the first question:
किमेकं दैवतं लोके
Who is the one and only god in the world?
पवित्राणां पवित्रम्
पावनानां तीर्थादीनां पवित्रम्
The teerthas such as Ganga, Godavari, and Kaveri wash away sin. They purify. Teertha means holy, divine places—mostly, but not necessarily, on the banks of holy rivers.
There are three kinds of teerthas – jangama, manasa, and sthavara.
Jangama teertha are the noble Brahmins—Brahmins who observe all the rules required to be observed by Brahmins starting from Vedadhyayanam and living the life of a true Brahmin. When they bless with words, that itself is like a holy river which washes away sins. They are called jangama teertha.
Manasa teertha – honesty, tolerance, kindness, control of senses, integrity, charity, knowledge—these are all mental teerthas that purify.
Then there are sthavara theerthas. Sthavara means they don’t move about; they are at one place, such as Ganga, Narmada, Kaveri, Pushkar, Gaya—which purify.
परमस्तु पुमान् ध्यातो दृष्टः कीर्तितः स्तुतः संपूजितः स्मृतः प्रणतः – पाप्मनः सर्वानुन्मूलयतीति परमं पवित्रम्
Why is he called parama pavitra?
When he is meditated upon, seen, praised, worshiped, remembered, or bowed to—he vanquishes all the sins of his devotees. Hence, he is foremost among teerthas.
संसारबन्धहेतुभूतं पुण्यापुण्यात्मकं कर्म – तत्कारणं च अज्ञानं सर्वं नाशयति स्वयाथात्म्यज्ञानेनेति पवित्राणां पवित्रम्
What causes attachment in the world – karma, both good and evil. They both cause attachment to worldly existence and rebirth. If you do evil karma, you have to again take birth to suffer its consequences. If you do good karma, also you have to take rebirth to enjoy its results. Both good and evil karma cause attachment.
What is the cause of karma? Ajnana – ignorance.
When someone knows Sri Hari’s true nature, his karma, as well as the ignorance which makes him perform karma, both are destroyed. Hence, he is pavitranam pavitram.
रूपमारोग्यमर्थांश्च भोगांश्चैवानुषङ्गिकान्
ददाति ध्यायतो नित्यमपवर्गप्रदो हरिः
He is apavarga prada – moksha data, but he also gives good looks, health, wealth, enjoyments, and pleasant things unexpectedly (aanushangikaan).
चिन्त्यमानः समस्तानां क्लेशानां हानिदो हि यः
समुत्सृज्याखिलं चिन्त्यं सोऽच्युतः किं न चिन्त्यते
Just by remembering, all the miseries and distresses are gone. Why are you not always thinking about him, leaving everything else aside?
ध्यायेन्नारायणं देवं स्नानादिषु कर्मसु
प्रायश्चित्तं हि सर्वस्य दुष्कृतस्येति वै श्रुतिः
Even while doing routine things like taking bath, remember Narayana. This is the best prayaschitta for all evil deeds done in the past. A normal bath taken thinking about Sri Hari becomes equivalent to Ganga snanam, washing away all the sins.
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