श्रद्धाबीजो विप्रपादांबुसिक्तः शाखाविद्यास्ताश्चतस्रो दशापि । पुष्पाण्यर्था द्वे फले स्थूलसूक्ष्मे मोक्षःकामो धर्मवृक्षोयमीड्यः
śraddhābījo viprapādāṃbusiktaḥ śākhāvidyāstāścatasro daśāpi | puṣpāṇyarthā dve phale sthūlasūkṣme mokṣaḥkāmo dharmavṛkṣoyamīḍyaḥ
Dieser ehrwürdige Baum des Dharma hat den Glauben als Samen und wird mit dem Wasser genährt, das die Füße der Brahmanen wusch. Seine Zweige sind die Wissenslehren—vier und auch zehn. Seine Blüten sind die Ziele des Gedeihens, und er trägt zwei Früchte, grob und fein: weltlichen Genuss und Befreiung (mokṣa). So ist dieser lobenswerte Baum der Rechtschaffenheit.
Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (typical frame)
Scene: An allegorical ‘Dharma-tree’ growing in Kāśī: seed of faith, watered by foot-washing water of venerable teachers; branches labeled with vidyās; blossoms as artha; two fruits—bhoga and mokṣa—glowing distinctly.
Faith and righteous living, nourished by holy association, culminate in both worldly well-being and the highest fruit—mokṣa.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is implied as the sacred field where dharma and liberation-bearing merit flourish.
Reverence for brāhmaṇas and sanctifying contact with their pādāmbu (foot-washing water) is praised as spiritually nourishing.