Shloka 5
Suvarṇa-janma and Dakṣiṇā-Māhātmya
Origin and Supremacy of Gold as Ritual Fee
प्रासादा यत्र सौवर्णा वसोर्धारा च यत्र सा । गन्धर्वाप्सरसो यत्र तत्र यान्ति सहसत्रदा:
prāsādā yatra sauvarṇā vasordhārā ca yatra sā | gandharvāpsaraso yatra tatra yānti sahasraśaḥ ||
Vasiṣṭha berkata: “Di tempat adanya istana-istana emas, dan di tempat mengalirnya aliran kekayaan yang termasyhur itu, Vasudhārā—di tempat Gandharva dan Apsara berhimpun—ke sanalah mereka pergi beribu-ribu.”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how beings are naturally drawn toward places of splendor and abundance—an implicit reminder that worldly or heavenly attractions can powerfully pull the mind, and that one should understand the force of desire and the karmic allure of pleasure and prosperity.
Vasiṣṭha describes a realm characterized by extraordinary opulence—golden palaces and a ‘stream of wealth’—and notes that Gandharvas and Apsarases flock there in vast numbers, emphasizing the magnetism of such a place.