Shloka 6

Pulastya’s Tīrtha Enumeration: Sarasvatī, Naimiṣa, Gayā, and Associated Phalaśruti

Chapter 82

Devanagari script

अस्ति मे हृदये कश्रित्‌ तीर्थभ्यो धर्मसंशय: । तमहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तद्‌ भवान्‌ वक्तुमरहति,मेरे मनमें तीर्थोंसे होनेवाले धर्मके विषयमें कुछ संशय हो गया है, मैं उसीका समाधान सुनना चाहता हूँ; आप बतानेकी कृपा करें

Transliteration

asti me hṛdaye kaścit tīrthebhyo dharma-saṁśayaḥ | tam ahaṁ śrotum icchāmi tad bhavān vaktum arhati ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “A doubt has arisen in my heart concerning dharma as it is gained through sacred pilgrimage places (tīrthas). I wish to hear its resolution; please be so kind as to explain it.”

Word by Word

• {'asti': 'there is

• exists', 'me': 'for me

• my', 'hṛdaye': 'in the heart

• in the mind', 'kaścit': 'some

• a certain', 'tīrthebhyaḥ (tīrthebhyo)': 'from tīrthas

• from sacred fords/pilgrimage places', 'dharma': 'dharma

• right order', 'saṁśayaḥ': 'doubt

• uncertainty', 'tam': 'that (doubt/matter)', 'aham': 'I', 'śrotum': 'to hear', 'icchāmi': 'I desire

• I wish', 'tad': 'therefore

• in that matter', 'bhavān': 'you (honorific)', 'vaktum': 'to speak

• to explain', 'arhati': 'is worthy

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: pilgrimage (tīrtha) is not treated as automatically self-explanatory; its moral and religious efficacy must be understood rightly. Bhīṣma models humility and discernment by seeking clarification about how dharma is connected to tīrthas.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, speaking respectfully to a knowledgeable interlocutor, states that he has developed a doubt regarding dharma derived from visiting sacred places and asks for an authoritative explanation to resolve it.