Shloka 152

युधिष्ठिरस्य अर्जुनप्रेषण-युक्तिवर्णनम् | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rationale for Sending Arjuna and Request to Dhaumya

Devanagari script

समारुहा[ नरश्रेष्ठ स्तनकुण्डेषु संविशेत्‌ । स्तनकुण्डमुपस्पृश्य वाजपेयफलं लभेत्‌,नरश्रेष्ठ उस शिखरपर चढ़कर मानव स्तनकुण्डमें स्नान करे। स्तनकुण्डमें अवगाहन करनेसे वाजपेययज्ञका फल प्राप्त होता है

Transliteration

samāruhya naraśreṣṭha stanakuṇḍeṣu saṁviśet | stanakuṇḍam upaspṛśya vājapeyaphalaṁ labhet |

Translation

人のうち最勝なる者よ、その峰に登りついたなら、スタナクンダ（Stanakuṇḍa）と呼ばれる池に入り、沐浴すべし。スタナクンダに触れ、身を沈める者は、ヴァージャペーヤ（Vājapeya）祭に等しい功徳を得る。

Word by Word

समारुह्यhaving climbed (ascended)

नरश्रेष्ठO best of men

स्तनकुण्डेषुin the Stana-kundas (breast-shaped pools)

संविशेत्should enter / should immerse

स्तनकुण्डम्the Stana-kunda (pool)

उपस्पृश्यhaving touched / having bathed (by contact)

वाजपेयफलम्the fruit (merit) of the Vajapeya (sacrifice)

लभेत्would obtain / should obtain

Speaker

घुलस्त्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Ghūlastya

Stanakuṇḍa (sacred pools)

Vājapeya (sacrifice/ritual)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that sincere pilgrimage and ritual purity—symbolized by bathing in a sacred tīrtha—can confer great spiritual merit comparable to major Vedic sacrifices, emphasizing accessible paths to dharma through devotion and disciplined conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

A guide/speaker (Ghūlastya) instructs a noble listener to climb to a peak and bathe in the sacred pools named Stanakuṇḍa, declaring that this act grants the reward of performing the Vājapeya yajña.