Shloka 29
Dhaumya’s Enumeration of Eastern Tīrthas
Prācī-diś Tīrtha-kathana
त्रिरात्रमुषितस्तत्र गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् | निदर्शनं च प्रत्यक्ष ब्राह्मणानां नराधिप,वहाँ तीन रात निवास करनेवाला पुरुष सहस्र गोदानका फल प्राप्त करता है। नरेश्वर! ब्राह्मणोंकी पहचानके लिये वहाँ प्रत्यक्ष उदाहरण है
trirātram uṣitas tatra gosahasraphalaṁ labhet | nidarśanaṁ ca pratyakṣaṁ brāhmaṇānāṁ narādhipa |
Pulastya berkata: “Wahai raja, sesiapa yang tinggal di sana selama tiga malam memperoleh pahala setara dengan buah kebajikan menghadiahkan seribu ekor lembu. Dan wahai penguasa manusia, di sana ada tanda yang nyata dan dapat dilihat secara langsung untuk mengenali para Brahmana.”
पुलस्त्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that disciplined residence at a sacred place (a three-night stay) can yield merit comparable to a major act of charity (gifting a thousand cows), and it also underscores the importance of rightly identifying and honoring Brahmins through clear, observable criteria rather than mere claims.
Pulastya is instructing a king during a sacred-sites discourse in the Vana Parva, describing the spiritual reward of staying at a particular place for three nights and noting that the place provides a direct sign or practical means for recognizing Brahmins.