Shloka 185

Tīrtha-yātrā: Phalaśruti and Sacred Geography from Lohitya to Prayāga

Pulastya’s Instruction

Devanagari script

सोमतीर्थे नर: स्नात्वा तीर्थसेवी नराधिप

Transliteration

Somatīrthe naraḥ snātvā tīrthasevī narādhipa

Translation

Ghūlastya said: “O king, a man who bathes at Somatīrtha and lives in devoted attendance upon the sacred fords (tīrthas) gains the purifying merit of pilgrimage—an ethical reminder that disciplined, reverent conduct at holy places is praised as a means of inner cleansing and righteous living.”

Word by Word

• सोमतीर्थे: at the Soma-tirtha (pilgrimage place named Soma-tirtha)
• सोमतीर्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमतीर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• तीर्थसेवी: a tirtha-attendant / one devoted to visiting sacred fords
• तीर्थसेवी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थसेविन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

घुलस्त्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Ghūlastya
• Somatīrtha
• narādhipa (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Reverent pilgrimage—especially ritual bathing at a tīrtha and sustained devotion to sacred observances—is presented as a purifier that supports dharmic living and moral self-discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker (Ghūlastya) addresses a king and begins describing the spiritual benefit of bathing at the sacred place Somatīrtha, as part of a broader tīrtha-mahātmya (praise of pilgrimage sites) section in the Vana Parva.