Shloka 117
Tīrtha-yātrā: Phalaśruti and Sacred Geography from Lohitya to Prayāga
Pulastya’s Instruction
क्षत: किल करे राज॑स्तस्य शाकरसो5स्रवत् । स वै शाकरसं दृष्टवा हर्षाविष्ट:प्रनृत्तवान्,नरेश्वर! इसके बाद सप्तसारस्वत नामक तीर्थकी यात्रा करे, जहाँ लोकविख्यात महर्षि मंकणकको सिद्धि प्राप्त हुई थी। राजन! हमारे सुननेमें आया है कि पहले कभी महर्षि मंकणकके हाथमें कुशका अग्रभाग गड़ गया, जिससे उनके हाथमें घाव हो गया। महाराज! उस समय उस हाथसे शाकका रस चूने लगा। शाकका रस चूता देख महर्षि हर्षावेशसे मतवाले हो नृत्य करने लगे
kṣataḥ kila kare rājas tasya śākaraso 'sravat | sa vai śākarasaṃ dṛṣṭvā harṣāviṣṭaḥ pranaṛttavān, nareśvara |
Ghulastya said: “O king, it is said that his hand was once wounded, and from it there flowed the juice of a leafy vegetable. Seeing that vegetable-juice flowing, he became overwhelmed with delight and began to dance in ecstatic excitement, O lord of men.”
घुलस्त्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The episode cautions that even ascetics can be carried away by wonder and self-delight at extraordinary experiences (siddhi-like signs). Ethical strength in tapas includes steadiness and non-attachment, not intoxication by marvels.
While describing a pilgrimage context connected with Saptasārasvata, the speaker recounts a famous incident: the sage Maṅkaṇaka’s hand was pierced (by a kuśa tip), and instead of blood, vegetable sap flowed. Seeing this, he became elated and danced in rapture.