Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 32
Gṛhastha-Dharma: How a Householder Attains Liberation by Offering All to Vāsudeva
सरांसि पुष्करादीनि क्षेत्राण्यर्हाश्रितान्युत । कुरुक्षेत्रं गयशिर: प्रयाग: पुलहाश्रम: ॥ ३० ॥ नैमिषं फाल्गुनं सेतु: प्रभासोऽथ कुशस्थली । वाराणसी मधुपुरी पम्पा बिन्दुसरस्तथा ॥ ३१ ॥ नारायणाश्रमो नन्दा सीतारामाश्रमादय: । सर्वे कुलाचला राजन्महेन्द्रमलयादय: ॥ ३२ ॥ एते पुण्यतमा देशा हरेरर्चाश्रिताश्च ये । एतान्देशान्निषेवेत श्रेयस्कामो ह्यभीक्ष्णश: । धर्मो ह्यत्रेहित: पुंसां सहस्राधिफलोदय: ॥ ३३ ॥
sarāṁsi puṣkarādīni kṣetrāṇy arhāśritāny uta kurukṣetraṁ gaya-śiraḥ prayāgaḥ pulahāśramaḥ
In den tirtha-sarovara wie Puṣkara, und in Kurukṣetra, Gayā, Prayāga, Pulahāśrama, Naimiṣāraṇya, an den Ufern der Phālgu, in Setubandha, Prabhāsa, Kuśasthalī (Dvārakā), Vārāṇasī, Madhupurī (Mathurā), Pampā, Bindu-sarovara, Nārāyaṇāśrama (Badarī), an den Ufern der Nandā, in den Ashrams von Sītā-Rāma wie Citrakūṭa, sowie in den Bergen Mahendra und Malaya—all dies sind Stätten höchster Heiligkeit. Wo arcanā, die Verehrung Haris (Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa), stattfindet, soll der nach geistigem Heil Strebende oft hingehen; das dort geübte Dharma trägt tausendfachen Lohn.
In these verses and in verse twenty-nine, stress is given to one point: harer arcāśritāś ca ye or harer arcā. In other words, any place where the Deity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped by devotees is most significant. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving the population of the entire world a chance to take advantage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness through the ISKCON centers, where one may perform Deity worship and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and in this way obtain results with effectiveness increased a thousand times. This constitutes the best welfare activity for human society. This was Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission as it was predicted by Him in the Caitanya-bhāgavata ( Antya 4.126):
FAQs
This verse lists revered āśramas, rivers, and mountain ranges as “supremely purifying,” highlighting that contact with sacred places connected to the Lord and sages elevates one’s spiritual life.
In the context of teaching ideal household and religious life, Śukadeva describes places of pilgrimage to guide Parīkṣit (and listeners) toward practices that support devotion and inner purification.
Seek regular association with sacred environments—temples, satsanga, retreats, and places connected with bhakti—and use such visits for hearing, chanting, and self-discipline rather than mere tourism.