Shloka 2

Tīrtha-yātrā: Prayāga-saṅgama and Gayaśiras—Rājarṣi Gaya’s Mahāyajña

Devanagari script

राजंस्तीर्थानि गन्तासि पुण्यानि भ्रातृभि: सह । ऋषिणा चैव सहितो लोमशेन महात्मना,“महाराज! आप अपने भाइयों तथा महात्मा लोमश मुनिके साथ पुण्यतीर्थोंमें जानेवाले हैं

Transliteration

rājaṃs tīrthāni gantāsi puṇyāni bhrātṛbhiḥ saha | ṛṣiṇā caiva sahito lomaśena mahātmanā ||

Translation

“O King, you will go to the sacred pilgrimage-fords—holy tīrthas—together with your brothers, and accompanied as well by the great-souled sage Lomaśa.”

Word by Word

राजन्O king

तीर्थानिpilgrimage-places

गन्तासिyou will go

पुण्यानिholy, meritorious

भ्रातृभिःwith (your) brothers

सहtogether with

ऋषिणाwith the sage

चand

एवindeed

सहितःaccompanied

लोमशेनwith Lomasha

महात्मनाwith the great-souled one

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

King (Yudhiṣṭhira implied)

Brothers (the Pāṇḍavas implied)

Lomaśa (sage)

Tīrthas (pilgrimage sites)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic renewal through tīrtha-yātrā: sacred travel undertaken with disciplined companionship (brothers) and under the guidance of a realized sage (Lomaśa), suggesting that ethical strength and inner purification are cultivated through holy places, right company, and learned counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses the king (contextually Yudhiṣṭhira) and states that he will proceed to holy pilgrimage sites along with his brothers, accompanied by the eminent sage Lomaśa—setting up the tīrtha-yātrā episode within the Vana Parva.