Shloka 117
Dhaumya’s Enumeration of Eastern Tīrthas
Prācī-diś Tīrtha-kathana
नेता च त्वमृषीन् यस्मात् तेन तेडष्टगुणं फलम् । रक्षोगणविकीर्णानि तीर्थान्येितानि भारत । न गतानि मनुष्येन्द्रेस्त्वामृते कुरुमन्दन,तुम अपने साथ इन सब ऋषियोंको ले जाओगे, इसीलिये तुम्हें आठगुना पुण्यफल प्राप्त होगा। भरतकुल-भूषण कुरुनन्दन! इन सभी तीथ्थोमें राक्षसोंके समुदाय फैले हुए हैं। तुम्हारे सिवा, दूसरे नरेशोंने वहाँकी यात्रा नहीं की है
netā ca tvam ṛṣīn yasmāt tena te’ṣṭaguṇaṁ phalam | rakṣogaṇa-vikīrṇāni tīrthāny etāni bhārata | na gatāni manuṣyendrais tvām ṛte kuru-nandana ||
Nārada berkata: “Karena engkau akan menjadi pemimpin yang menuntun para resi ini, maka pahalamu menjadi delapan kali lipat. Wahai Bhārata, tempat-tempat suci ini dipenuhi gerombolan rākṣasa. Wahai kebanggaan Kuru, selain engkau, para raja lain belum menempuh perjalanan ke sana.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Leadership undertaken for the sake of dharma—guiding and safeguarding holy people in perilous circumstances—multiplies spiritual merit. Greater responsibility, accepted selflessly, yields greater puṇya.
Nārada tells the Kuru prince that because he will lead the sages to various tīrthas that are infested by rākṣasas and avoided by other kings, he will receive eightfold merit for enabling and protecting their pilgrimage.