Shloka 16
Adharma’s Short-Lived Prosperity and the Restorative Path of Tīrtha (लोमश–युधिष्ठिर संवादः)
यच्च मां भगवानाह तीर्थानां दर्शन प्रति । धौम्यस्य वचनादेषा बुद्धि: पूर्व कृतेव मे
yac ca māṁ bhagavān āha tīrthānāṁ darśana-prati | dhaumyasyā vacanād eṣā buddhiḥ pūrva-kṛteva me ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “And what the revered one told me regarding the visiting of sacred fords—this resolve of mine has arisen from Dhaumya’s counsel, as though it were already ordained by my earlier deeds.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that righteous resolve (buddhi) is strengthened by guidance from a trusted spiritual authority (Dhaumya) and is also seen as connected to one’s prior actions (pūrva-kṛta), suggesting that dharmic choices arise from both good counsel and accumulated merit.
Yudhiṣṭhira explains the basis for his intention to undertake or support a pilgrimage to sacred tīrthas: it aligns with what a revered figure has said about visiting tīrthas, and his determination has been shaped by Dhaumya’s instruction, feeling as if it were already settled by earlier destiny or deeds.