Shloka 7
Śibi’s Weighing of Dharma
The Hawk and the Dove Trial) — शिबेर्धर्मतुला (श्येन-कपोतोक्तिः
एतत् प्रकाशते तीर्थ प्रभासं भास्करद़्ुते । इन्द्रस्य दयितं पुण्यं पवित्रं पापनाशनम्,सूर्यके समान तेजस्वी नरेश! यह प्रभासतीर्थ- प्रकाशित हो रहा है, जो इन्द्रको बहुत प्रिय है। यह पुण्यमय क्षेत्र सब पापोंका नाश करनेवाला और परम पवित्र है
etat prakāśate tīrthaṃ prabhāsaṃ bhāskaradyute | indrasya dayitaṃ puṇyaṃ pavitraṃ pāpanāśanam ||
Lomaśa said: “O king, radiant as the Sun, there now appears the sacred ford called Prabhāsa. Dear to Indra, it is a meritorious and supremely purifying holy place, famed for destroying sin.”
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights tīrtha-yātrā as a dharmic means of inner cleansing: sacred places are portrayed as ‘pavitra’ and ‘pāpanāśana’, encouraging ethical renewal through reverence, restraint, and sincere intent rather than mere travel.
During the Pāṇḍavas’ forest pilgrimage, the sage Lomaśa guides the king and points out the Prabhāsa tīrtha as it comes into view, praising its sanctity, its association with Indra, and its reputation for removing sin.