Shloka 17

Lomaśa’s Arrival and Report on Arjuna’s Divine Astras (लोमशागमनम्—अर्जुनदिव्यास्त्रलाभवृत्तान्तः)

Devanagari script

अप्यत्र संश्रयार्थाय प्रजापतिरथो जगौ । पुष्करेषु कुरुश्रेष्ठ गाथां सुकृतिनां वर,पुण्यवानोंमें प्रधान कुरुश्रेष्ठ! पुष्करमें निवास करनेके लिये प्रजापति ब्रह्माजीने एक गाथा गायी है, जो इस प्रकार है

Transliteration

apy atra saṁśrayārthāya prajāpatiḥ atho jagau | puṣkareṣu kuruśreṣṭha gāthāṁ sukṛtināṁ vara ||

Translation

„Wahrlich, um hier Zuflucht zu finden, sang Prajāpati (Brahmā) einst eine Gāthā. O Bester der Kurus, in Puṣkara sprach er dieses erhabene Wort, das die Vornehmsten unter den Verdienenden preist.“

Word by Word

अपिalso; even

अत्रhere

संश्रयार्थायfor the purpose of taking refuge/dwelling

प्रजापतिःPrajapati (the Lord of creatures)

अथthen; now

जगौsang; recited

पुष्करेषुin the Pushkaras (at Pushkara lakes/holy place)

कुरुश्रेष्ठO best of the Kurus

गाथाम्a gāthā; verse/chant

सुकृतिनाम्of the meritorious/virtuous

वरO excellent one; O best

Speaker

धौम्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

ध

धौम्य (Dhaumya)

प

प्रजापति / ब्रह्मा (Prajāpati/Brahmā)

प

पुष्कर (Puṣkara)

क

कुरुश्रेष्ठ (Kuruśreṣṭha—address to a Kuru prince)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sacred places like Puṣkara are portrayed as legitimate refuges for those seeking spiritual shelter; the verse frames residence/approach to a tīrtha as connected with merit (sukṛta) and dharmic aspiration.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhaumya introduces an authoritative saying: he tells the addressed Kuru prince that Prajāpati (Brahmā) once recited a gāthā at Puṣkara, setting up a quotation that will praise the meritorious and explain the sanctity of the place.