Mahabharata 3.85.8 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 85, Shloka 8

Dhaumya’s Enumeration of Eastern Tīrthas

Prācī-diś Tīrtha-kathana

Devanagari script

शोणस्य ज्योतिरथ्याया: संगमे नियत: शुचि: । तर्पयित्वा पितृन्‌ देवानग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्‌

Transliteration

śoṇasya jyotirathyāḥ saṅgame niyataḥ śuciḥ | tarpayitvā pitṝn devān agniṣṭomaphalaṃ labhet ||

Translation

Pulastya berkata: “Di pertemuan Sungai Śoṇa dan Jyotirathyā, seorang yang mengekang indera dan suci, setelah mandi lalu mempersembahkan tarpana (libasi) kepada para dewa dan leluhur, memperoleh pahala korban Agniṣṭoma.”

Word by Word

• शोणस्य: of (the river) Śoṇa
• शोणस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोण (नदी-नाम)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• ज्योतिरथ्यायाः: of (the river) Jyotirathyā
• ज्योतिरथ्यायाः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिरथ्या (नदी-नाम)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• संगमे: at the confluence
• संगमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संगम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• नियतः: self-restrained, disciplined
• नियतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तर्पयित्वा: having satisfied (by libations)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तर्पय् (धातु; √तृप् caus.)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• पितॄन्: the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अग्निष्टोमफलम्: the fruit (merit) of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice
• अग्निष्टोमफलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निष्टोम-फल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• लभेत्: would obtain / may obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular

Speaker

पुलस्त्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Pulastya
• Śoṇa (river)
• Jyotirathyā (river)
• Devas
• Pitṛs
• Agniṣṭoma (sacrifice)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Self-restraint and purity, combined with reverent offerings to gods and ancestors at a sacred confluence, can yield merit comparable to a major Vedic sacrifice (Agniṣṭoma), highlighting the ethical-spiritual power of disciplined devotion and proper rites.

What is happening in the narrative?

Pulastya is describing the spiritual efficacy of a specific tīrtha: bathing at the confluence of the Śoṇa and Jyotirathyā and performing tarpaṇa to devas and pitṛs is said to grant the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.