स्वर्गारोहणपर्व — तृतीयोऽध्यायः
Indra and Dharma’s Consolation; Celestial Gaṅgā Purification
गड्ढां देवनदीं पुण्यां पावनीमृषिसंस्तुताम् । अवगाहा ततो राजा तनुं तत्याज मानुषीम्,जनमेजय! धर्मके यों कहनेपर तुम्हारे पूर्वपितामह राजर्षि युधिष्ठिरने धर्म तथा समस्त स्वर्गवासी देवताओंके साथ जाकर मुनिजनवन्दित परम पावन पुण्यसलिला देवनदी गड़ाजीमें स्नान किया। स्नान करके राजाने तत्काल अपने मानवशरीरको त्याग दिया
Gāḍḍhāṃ devanadīṃ puṇyāṃ pāvanīm ṛṣisaṃstutām | avagāhā tato rājā tanūṃ tatyāja mānuṣīm, Janamejaya |
Vaiśaṃpāyana sprach: „Dann, o Janamejaya, tauchte der König in den heiligen Götterstrom, die Devanadī namens Gāḍḍhā, ein — reinigend und von den Weisen gepriesen. Nach dem Bad dort legte der König sogleich seinen menschlichen Leib ab.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse highlights the culmination of dharma: after fulfilling worldly responsibilities, one moves toward release through purification and renunciation. The king’s bathing in a sanctifying river symbolizes inner cleansing, and the immediate abandonment of the human body signifies readiness to transcend mortal limitation without clinging.
Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates to Janamejaya that Yudhiṣṭhira bathes in the sacred divine river called Gāḍḍhā, praised by sages. After this immersion, he promptly gives up his human body, indicating the final stage of his ascent associated with Svargarohana.