Shloka 33
Sārasvata–Dadhīca Upākhyāna at Sarasvatī Tīrtha
Balarāma’s Pilgrimage Context
तेषां स्थान ततो यातं तथाग्निष्टोमयाजिनाम् । अग्निष्ठतेन च तथा ये यजन्ति तपोधना:
teṣāṁ sthānaṁ tato yātaṁ tathāgniṣṭomayājinām | agniṣṭhatenā ca tathā ye yajanti tapodhanāḥ ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Sesudah itu dijelaskan alam yang dituju oleh mereka yang telah melaksanakan yajña Agniṣṭoma; demikian pula alam yang dicapai para pertapa kaya tapa yang bersembahyang melalui tata Agniṣṭha (Agniṣṭut) juga.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse affirms a dharmic principle: disciplined sacrificial worship (yajña), especially when joined with austerity (tapas), is portrayed as producing a definite spiritual attainment—an appropriate ‘place’ or realm corresponding to one’s meritorious action.
Vaiśampāyana continues a descriptive account of posthumous attainments, indicating the realms reached by those who performed specific Vedic sacrifices—here, Agniṣṭoma and the Agniṣṭha rite—particularly by ascetics characterized as ‘rich in austerity’ (tapodhanāḥ).