क्षेत्राणि सरितश्चैव पर्वताश्च नदा स्तथा । ऋषीणां तपसो वीर्यान्माहात्म्यं परमं गताः
kṣetrāṇi saritaścaiva parvatāśca nadā stathā | ṛṣīṇāṃ tapaso vīryānmāhātmyaṃ paramaṃ gatāḥ
តំបន់បរិសុទ្ធ ទន្លេ ភ្នំ និងស្ទឹងទាំងឡាយ ក៏ដូចគ្នា បានឈានដល់មហិមាដ៏ខ្ពង់ខ្ពស់ ដោយអานุភាពនៃតបស្យា (ការអធិស្ឋានតបស) របស់ឥសីទាំងឡាយ។
Sūta (narrative voice; implied)
Listener: Ṛṣis
Scene: A poetic tableau of sages performing austerities on riverbanks and mountain caves; their tapas radiates as light that sanctifies the surrounding kṣetra, turning ordinary nature into a tīrtha.
Holy places become supremely sanctified through the spiritual power (tapas) of realized sages.
The verse sets the principle behind tīrtha-glory in general, preparing for Arbuda’s specific māhātmya.
No specific rite is prescribed; the verse emphasizes tapas as the source of sanctity.