न ह्यम्मयानि तीर्थानि न देवाश्चेतनोज्झिता: । ते पुनन्त्युरुकालेन यूयं दर्शनमात्रत: ॥ २३ ॥
na hy am-mayāni tīrthāni na devāś cetanojjhitāḥ te punanty uru-kālena yūyaṁ darśana-mātrataḥ
- na
- not
- hi
- indeed
- ap-mayāni
- consisting of sacred water
- tīrthāni
- holy places
- na
- not
- devāḥ
- deity forms of demigods
- cetana-ujjhitāḥ
- devoid of life
- te
- they
- punanti
- purify
- uru-kālena
- after a long time
- yūyam
- yourselves
- darśana-mātrataḥ
- simply by being seen
Mere bodies of water do not constitute holy places, nor are lifeless statues of the demigods actual worshipable deities. Because external vision fails to appreciate the higher essence of the holy rivers and the demigods, these purify only after a considerable time. But devotees like you purify immediately, just by being seen.