Shloka 8
जपयोगयोः तुल्यफलनिर्णयः
Adhyāya 193: Adjudication of the Comparable Fruits of Japa and Yoga
भूगुरुवाच उत्तरे हिमवत्पाश्वे पुण्ये सर्वगुणान्विते । पुण्य: क्षेम्यश्न॒ काम्यश्च॒ स परो लोक उच्यते
bhṛgur uvāca uttare himavat-pārśve puṇye sarva-guṇānvitē | puṇyaḥ kṣemyaś ca kāmyaś ca sa paro loka ucyate ||
Bhṛgu dit : «Au nord, sur le flanc de l’Himālaya, se trouve une région sainte, pourvue de toutes les excellences. Le royaume établi sur ce sol sacré est appelé le “monde supérieur” : pur en lui-même, favorable au bien-être et à la sécurité, et digne d’être contemplé et atteint.»
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links moral-spiritual merit (puṇya) with the idea of a ‘higher world’: a realm characterized by purity, welfare (kṣema), and desirability. It frames sacred geography as a symbolic and practical pointer toward ethical living and aspirational spiritual goals.
In a didactic dialogue within Śānti Parva, Bhṛgu describes a supremely auspicious region near the northern Himālaya and identifies it as a ‘higher world,’ emphasizing its sanctity and beneficial qualities.