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

ಹೇ ನರಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನೇ! ಆ ಶಿಖರವನ್ನು ಏರಿ ‘ಸ್ತನಕುಂಡ’ಗಳೆನಿಸುವ ಕುಂಡಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರವೇಶಿಸಿ ಸ್ನಾನ ಮಾಡಲಿ; ಸ್ತನಕುಂಡವನ್ನು ಸ್ಪರ್ಶಿಸಿ ಅವಗಾಹನ ಮಾಡಿದರೆ ವಾಜಪೇಯ ಯಜ್ಞಫಲ ದೊರೆಯುತ್ತದೆ.

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.