Shloka 41
स्वर्गारोहणपर्व — तृतीयोऽध्यायः
Indra and Dharma’s Consolation; Celestial Gaṅgā Purification
गड्ढां देवनदीं पुण्यां पावनीमृषिसंस्तुताम् । अवगाहा ततो राजा तनुं तत्याज मानुषीम्
Gāḍḍhāṃ devanadīṃ puṇyāṃ pāvanīm ṛṣisaṃstutām | avagāhā tato rājā tanūṃ tatyāja mānuṣīm, Janamejaya |
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Kemudian, wahai Janamejaya, sang raja menyelam ke dalam Gaṅgā, sungai para dewa—suci, menyucikan, dan dipuji para resi. Setelah mandi di sana, seketika itu juga ia menanggalkan tubuh manusianya.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the culmination of dharma: after fulfilling worldly responsibilities, one moves toward release through purification and renunciation. The king’s bathing in a sanctifying river symbolizes inner cleansing, and the immediate abandonment of the human body signifies readiness to transcend mortal limitation without clinging.
Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates to Janamejaya that Yudhiṣṭhira bathes in the sacred divine river called Gāḍḍhā, praised by sages. After this immersion, he promptly gives up his human body, indicating the final stage of his ascent associated with Svargarohana.