Shloka 1736
Dhaumya’s Enumeration of Eastern Tīrthas
Prācī-diś Tīrtha-kathana
तत्र स्नात्वा कुरुश्रेष्ठ गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् | कुरुश्रेष्ठ कुरुनन्दन! वहीं मतंगका केदार है, उसमें स्नान करनेसे मनुष्यको सहस्र गोदानका फल मिलता है
tatra snātvā kuruśreṣṭha gosahasraphalaṁ labhet | kuruśreṣṭha kurunandana! tatra mataṅgakā kedāraḥ, tasmin snānena manuṣyo sahasra-godānasya phalaṁ labhate |
Pulastya berkata: “Wahai yang terbaik di antara kaum Kuru, sesiapa yang mandi di sana memperoleh pahala setara seribu sedekah lembu. Wahai yang terunggul dalam keturunan Kuru, kebanggaan kaum Kuru—di sana ada kedāra suci milik Mataṅgakā; dengan mandi di dalamnya, seseorang mencapai hasil seribu derma lembu.”
पुलस्त्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes the dharmic idea that sincere ritual purification at a recognized tīrtha can yield great spiritual merit, comparable to major acts of charity such as donating a thousand cows—linking inner purification with the ethical economy of puṇya.
Pulastya is guiding the Kuru prince during the tīrtha-yātrā account in Vana Parva, pointing out the Mataṅgakā-kedāra and declaring the specific merit obtained by bathing there.