Shloka 19
अगस्त्य-वातापि-उपाख्यानम्
Agastya and Vātāpi: Ilvala’s stratagem; Lopāmudrā’s emergence
तीर्थाभिगमनात् पूता दर्शनाच्च महात्मनाम् | अलभन्त यश: पुण्यं धनानि च विशाम्पते,तथा त्वमपि राजेन्द्र लब्धासि विपुलां श्रियम् । जैसे राजा नृग, उशीनरपुत्र शिबि, भगीरथ, वसुमना, गय, पूरु तथा पुरूरवा आदि नरेशोंने सदा तपस्यापूर्वक तीर्थयात्रा करके वहाँके जलके स्पर्श और महात्माओंके दर्शनसे पावन यश और प्रचुर धन प्राप्त किये थे; उसी प्रकार तुम भी तीर्थयात्राके पुण्यसे विपुल सम्पत्ति प्राप्त कर लोगे
tīrthābhigamanāt pūtā darśanāc ca mahātmanām | alabhanta yaśaḥ puṇyaṁ dhanāni ca viśāmpate, tathā tvam api rājendra labdhāsi vipulāṁ śriyam ||
“Al acudir a los tīrthas quedaron purificados, y al contemplar a los sabios magnánimos obtuvieron fama santa y riquezas, oh señor de los pueblos. Del mismo modo, oh mejor de los reyes, tú también alcanzarás abundante prosperidad por el mérito de la peregrinación.”
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
Pilgrimage (tīrtha-yātrā) and the respectful sight of saintly persons are presented as powerful means of purification that yield both ethical capital (puṇya, yaśas) and worldly well-being (dhanam, śrī), especially for a ruler who must uphold dharma.
A speaker addresses a king, assuring him that just as earlier people became purified and gained fame and wealth through visiting sacred places and meeting great sages, so too the king will gain abundant prosperity through the merit of undertaking pilgrimage.