Shloka 3
Avanti–Narmadā–Puṣkara Tīrtha-Kathana (धौम्यकथितं तीर्थवर्णनम्)
वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! पाण्डवोंका चित्त अर्जुनके लिये अत्यन्त दीन हो रहा था। वे सब-के-सब उनसे मिलनेको उत्सुक थे। उनकी ऐसी अवस्था देखकर बृहस्पतिके समान तेजस्वी महर्षि धौम्यने उन्हें सान्त्वना देते हुए कहा--'पापरहित भरतकुलभूषण! ब्राह्मणलोग जिन्हें आदर देते हैं, उन पुण्य आश्रमों, दिशाओं, तीर्थों और पर्वतोंका मैं वर्णन करता हूँ, सुनो ।। याउछुत्वा गदतो राजन् विशोको भवितासि ह | द्रौपद्या चानया सार्थ भ्रातृभिश्न नरेश्वर,“नरेश्वर! राजन! मेरे मुखसे उन सबका वर्णन सुनकर तुम द्रौपदी तथा भाइयोंके साथ शोकरहित हो जाओगे
vaiśampāyana uvāca | janamejaya pāṇḍavānāṃ cittam arjunāya atyantaṃ dīnaṃ babhūva | te sarve taṃ draṣṭum utsukāḥ āsan | tān evaṃbhūtān dṛṣṭvā bṛhaspati-samo tejasvī maharṣi-dhaumyo dhairyeṇa sāmvāsya uvāca— “apāpa bharata-kula-bhūṣaṇa! brāhmaṇair yān āśramān satkṛtāḥ, diśaś ca tīrthāni ca parvatāś ca puṇyāni, teṣāṃ te varṇanaṃ karomi; śṛṇu | yāni śrutvā gadataḥ, rājan, viśoko bhaviṣyasi; draupadyā cānayā sārdhaṃ bhrātṛbhiś ca, nareśvara.”
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Janamejaya, the Pāṇḍavas’ hearts grew exceedingly despondent on Arjuna’s account. All of them longed to see him. Seeing them in such a state, the radiant sage Dhaumya—like Bṛhaspati in splendor—consoled them and said: ‘O sinless ornament of the Bharata line! I shall describe to you those holy hermitages, directions, sacred fords, and mountains that are honored by Brahmins. Listen. Hearing my account, O king, you will become free from grief—together with Draupadī and your brothers, O lord of men.’”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Grief is met with dharmic counsel: the sage redirects sorrow into a constructive, purifying path—hearing about and undertaking contact with sacred places honored by the learned—so that the mind regains steadiness and hope.
The Pāṇḍavas are distressed because they miss Arjuna and wish to see him. Sage Dhaumya notices their dejection and promises to describe revered hermitages and tīrthas; by listening, the king (and the group with Draupadī and the brothers) will become free from sorrow.