Shloka 52
वस्त्र चैव विचित्र च गन्धं चैव विशेषत: । देववत् पूजयेत् तं तु विष्णुलोकमवाप्नुयात्
vastraṃ caiva vicitraṃ ca gandhaṃ caiva viśeṣataḥ | devavat pūjayet taṃ tu viṣṇulokam avāpnuyāt ||
Hendaklah ia mempersembahkan pakaian yang indah dan beraneka, dan terutama bahan-bahan harum, lalu menyembah si pelantun itu sebagaimana menyembah dewa. Pendengar yang berbuat demikian akan mencapai alam Viṣṇu—menunjukkan bahawa penghormatan kepada ajaran suci dan kepada penyampainya sendiri merupakan dharma yang berbuah pahala dan membawa kepada takdir yang sejahtera.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that honoring the transmitter of sacred discourse—by offerings such as garments and fragrance and by treating him with deity-like reverence—is a form of dharma that yields spiritual merit and an exalted posthumous destination (Viṣṇu’s realm).
Vaiśampāyana states a prescriptive rule about how a listener should honor the reciter of the Mahābhārata (or sacred narration): by offering fine clothing and fragrant substances and worshipping him respectfully, with the promised fruit of attaining Viṣṇuloka.