Shloka 52
वस्त्र चैव विचित्र च गन्धं चैव विशेषत: । देववत् पूजयेत् तं तु विष्णुलोकमवाप्नुयात्
vastraṃ caiva vicitraṃ ca gandhaṃ caiva viśeṣataḥ | devavat pūjayet taṃ tu viṣṇulokam avāpnuyāt ||
Er soll feine, bunt gemusterte Gewänder darbringen und vor allem wohlriechende Substanzen, und jenen Rezitator verehren, wie man eine Gottheit verehrt. Ein Hörer, der so handelt, gelangt in die Welt Viṣṇus—womit gezeigt wird, dass Ehrfurcht vor der heiligen Lehre und ihrem Übermittler selbst verdienstvolle Dharma ist und zu einem glückverheißenden Geschick führt.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that honoring the transmitter of sacred discourse—by offerings such as garments and fragrance and by treating him with deity-like reverence—is a form of dharma that yields spiritual merit and an exalted posthumous destination (Viṣṇu’s realm).
Vaiśampāyana states a prescriptive rule about how a listener should honor the reciter of the Mahābhārata (or sacred narration): by offering fine clothing and fragrant substances and worshipping him respectfully, with the promised fruit of attaining Viṣṇuloka.