Shloka 32
The Greatness of Puṣkara: Tripuṣkara Pilgrimage, Sacred Geography, and the Doctrine of Self-Restraint
अश्वमेधाद्दशगुणं प्रवदंति मनीषिणः । अप्येकं भोजयेद्विप्रं पुष्करारण्यमाश्रितः
aśvamedhāddaśaguṇaṃ pravadaṃti manīṣiṇaḥ | apyekaṃ bhojayedvipraṃ puṣkarāraṇyamāśritaḥ
Para bijaksana menyatakan bahawa ia sepuluh kali lebih berpahala daripada yajña Aśvamedha. Bahkan memberi makan seorang brāhmaṇa sahaja, ketika bernaung di rimba suci Puṣkara—
Not specified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses).
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: forest
Sandhi Resolution Notes: aśvamedhāddaśaguṇam = aśvamedhāt + daśaguṇam (t + d → dd). apyekaṃ = api + ekam (i + e → ye). bhojayedvipram = bhojayet + vipram (t + v). puṣkarāraṇyamāśritaḥ = puṣkara-araṇyam + āśritaḥ (m + ā).
FAQs
It elevates a simple act of dāna—feeding even one brāhmaṇa—when done in a sacred context (Puṣkara), as surpassing grand Vedic rites like the Aśvamedha in spiritual merit.
Puṣkara-araṇya means the sacred forest region of Puṣkara, a renowned tīrtha associated with heightened religious merit in Purāṇic literature.
The verse underscores accessible righteousness: sincere hospitality and support of learned, virtuous persons can be spiritually transformative, sometimes more than costly or elaborate ceremonies.