Shloka 66
Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)
कपिलायां तु दत्तायां यत् फल ज्येष्ठपुष्करे । तत् फलं भरतश्रेष्ठ विप्राणां पादधावने,भरतश्रेष्ठ! ज्येष्ठपुष्करतीर्थमें कपिला गौ दान करनेसे जो फल मिलता है वही ब्राह्मणोंका चरण धोनेसे प्राप्त होता है
kapilāyāṃ tu dattāyāṃ yat phalaṃ jyeṣṭha-puṣkare | tat phalaṃ bharata-śreṣṭha viprāṇāṃ pāda-dhāvane ||
ഭരതശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! ജ്യേഷ്ഠപുഷ്കര തീർത്ഥത്തിൽ കപിലാ ഗാവിനെ ദാനം ചെയ്താൽ ലഭിക്കുന്ന ഫലം, ബ്രാഹ്മണരുടെ പാദങ്ങൾ കഴുകുന്നതിലൂടെയും അതേപോലെ ലഭിക്കുന്നു.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse equates the spiritual merit of an eminent pilgrimage-donation (gifting a kapilā cow at Jyeṣṭha-Puṣkara) with humble personal service—washing the feet of Brahmins—highlighting that reverent service can match the merit of costly ritual charity.
In the Vana Parva’s tīrtha-oriented discourse, Yudhiṣṭhira states a dharma principle to his interlocutor: the fruit of a renowned act of dāna at a famous sacred place is attainable through the simpler, ethical act of honoring and serving Brahmins.