Shloka 29
Dhaumya’s Enumeration of Eastern Tīrthas
Prācī-diś Tīrtha-kathana
त्रिरात्रमुषितस्तत्र गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् | निदर्शनं च प्रत्यक्ष ब्राह्मणानां नराधिप,वहाँ तीन रात निवास करनेवाला पुरुष सहस्र गोदानका फल प्राप्त करता है। नरेश्वर! ब्राह्मणोंकी पहचानके लिये वहाँ प्रत्यक्ष उदाहरण है
trirātram uṣitas tatra gosahasraphalaṁ labhet | nidarśanaṁ ca pratyakṣaṁ brāhmaṇānāṁ narādhipa |
Pulastya said: “O king, one who stays there for three nights gains merit equal to the fruit of gifting a thousand cows. And, O ruler of men, there is there a direct and visible sign by which the Brahmins may be recognized.”
पुलस्त्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that disciplined residence at a sacred place (a three-night stay) can yield merit comparable to a major act of charity (gifting a thousand cows), and it also underscores the importance of rightly identifying and honoring Brahmins through clear, observable criteria rather than mere claims.
Pulastya is instructing a king during a sacred-sites discourse in the Vana Parva, describing the spiritual reward of staying at a particular place for three nights and noting that the place provides a direct sign or practical means for recognizing Brahmins.