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 berkata: “Di utara, pada lereng Himālaya, ada wilayah suci yang dipenuhi segala keutamaan. Alam yang berdiri di tanah keramat itu disebut ‘dunia yang lebih tinggi’—murni, membawa kesejahteraan dan rasa aman, serta indah untuk dipandang dan dicapai.”
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.