Shloka 79
The Greatness of Gayā
Gayā-Māhātmya
यत्र धर्मः स्थितः साक्षात्पितृलोकस्य पालकः । अभिगम्य ततस्तत्र वाजिमेधफलं लभेत् ॥ ७९ ॥
yatra dharmaḥ sthitaḥ sākṣātpitṛlokasya pālakaḥ | abhigamya tatastatra vājimedhaphalaṃ labhet || 79 ||
Donde el propio Dharma mora manifiesto como protector del mundo de los antepasados (Pitṛloka), al acercarse y visitar ese mismo lugar se obtiene el mérito igual al fruto del sacrificio Vājimedha.
Narada (teaching in a Tirtha-Mahatmya sequence; traditional dialogue framework with Sanatkumara lineage)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It elevates a specific Dharma-sthāna/tīrtha by stating that proximity to a place where Dharma is ‘manifest’ grants extraordinary puṇya, equated with the merit of a major Vedic sacrifice.
Though framed in tīrtha-merit language, the verse supports bhakti-oriented pilgrimage: approaching a sanctified seat of Dharma with reverence becomes a powerful spiritual act, not merely a social ritual.
It reflects Kalpa (ritual science) by referencing sacrifice-fruits (vājimedha-phala) and the Purāṇic principle of equivalence—pilgrimage and darśana at a tīrtha can yield results comparable to complex śrauta rites.