Aṣṭāvakra–Kahoda Upākhyāna: Śvetaketu’s Āśrama, Sarasvatī, and the Origin of Aṣṭāvakra
पश्यस्वैतन्मया सार्ध पुण्यं पापप्रमोचनम् । तत्र वै सततं देवा मुनयश्व॒ सनातना: । दृश्यन्ते ब्राह्मणै राजन् पुण्यवद्भिर्महात्मभि:
paśyasvaitanmāyā sārdha puṇyaṃ pāpapramocanam | tatra vai satataṃ devā munayaś ca sanātanāḥ | dṛśyante brāhmaṇai rājan puṇyavadbhir mahātmabhiḥ ||
Mari, lihatlah ini bersamaku—tempat suci yang memberi pahala kebajikan dan melepaskan dari dosa. Wahai Raja, di sana para dewa dan para resi yang abadi senantiasa tampak, disaksikan terus-menerus oleh para brāhmaṇa yang luhur dan penuh kebajikan.
श्येन उवाच
The verse emphasizes that certain sacred places and ways of life grounded in dharma generate puṇya and help remove pāpa; purity and virtue make one fit to perceive higher realities—gods and sages—continuously.
Śyena addresses a king and invites him to witness a holy, sin-removing place. The verse describes that in that locale, virtuous brāhmaṇas regularly behold devas and ancient munis, highlighting the sanctity and spiritual potency of the site.