युधिष्ठिरस्य अर्जुनप्रेषण-युक्तिवर्णनम् | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rationale for Sending Arjuna and Request to Dhaumya
सप्तगड़े त्रिगड़े च शक्रावर्ते च तर्पयन् । देवान् 6 52 के
ghulastya uvāca | saptagaḍe trigaḍe ca śakrāvarte ca tarpayann | devān pitṝṁś ca vidhivat puṇye loke mahīyate ||
Celui qui, selon le rite, offre le tarpaṇa —les libations— aux dieux et aux ancêtres aux gués sacrés nommés Saptagaḍa, Trigaḍa et Śakrāvarta, est honoré et solidement établi dans un monde de mérite.
घुलस्त्य उवाच
The verse teaches that performing prescribed offerings (tarpana) to both gods and ancestors at sacred tīrthas is a form of dharma that generates puṇya, leading to honor and a higher, meritorious state of existence. It emphasizes disciplined ritual action, gratitude, and maintaining the cosmic and familial order.
Within the tīrtha-māhātmya context of the Vana Parva, a speaker (Ghulastya) enumerates specific pilgrimage sites and states the spiritual result of proper worship there: one who performs due libations to devas and pitṛs at these named fords attains esteem in a blessed realm.