Shloka 17

Cyavana’s Reconciliation with Indra; Tīrtha-Indexing at Ārcīka-parvata and Yamunā

Chapter 125

Devanagari script

चैत्याश्वैते बहुविधास्त्रिदशानां युधिष्ठिर । एतच्चन्द्रमसस्तीर्थमृषय: पर्युपासते । वैखानसा बालखिल्या: पावका वायुभोजना:

Transliteration

Lomāśa uvāca — caityāś caite bahuvidhās tridashānāṁ Yudhiṣṭhira | etac candramasas tīrtham ṛṣayaḥ paryupāsate | vaikhānasā bālakhilyāḥ pāvakā vāyubhojanāḥ, Yudhiṣṭhira |

Translation

ଲୋମଶ କହିଲେ—“ହେ ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର! ଏଠାରେ ଦେବତାମାନଙ୍କର ନାନା ପ୍ରକାର ଅନେକ ଚୈତ୍ୟ (ମନ୍ଦିର) ଦେଖାଯାଉଛି। ଏହା ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରତୀର୍ଥ—ଯାହାକୁ ଋଷିମାନେ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାରେ ଉପାସନା କରନ୍ତି। ଏଠାରେ ବୈଖାନସ ବାଲଖିଲ୍ୟ ମହର୍ଷିମାନେ ବସନ୍ତି—ବାୟୁକୁ ଆହାର କରୁଥିବା, ପରମ ପାବନ ଓ ପବିତ୍ରକାରୀ। ତେଣୁ ତୁମ ଇଚ୍ଛାନୁସାରେ ଏହି ପବିତ୍ର ଶିଖର ଓ ପ୍ରସ୍ରବଣମାନଙ୍କୁ ପରିକ୍ରମା କରି, ପରେ ସ୍ନାନ କର; ନିୟମଯୁକ୍ତ ତୀର୍ଥଯାତ୍ରା ଓ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାପୂର୍ବକ ସ୍ନାନ ମନକୁ ଶୁଦ୍ଧ କରି ଧର୍ମରେ ସ୍ଥିର କରେ।”

Word by Word

• चैत्याश्वैते: in (the place called) Chaityāśvaita / at the white sacred shrine
• चैत्याश्वैते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चैत्याश्वेत
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• बहुविधाः: of many kinds
• बहुविधाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुविध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• त्रिदशानाम्: of the gods (thirty-three)
• त्रिदशानाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदश
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• चन्द्रमसः: of the Moon
• चन्द्रमसः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रमस्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तीर्थम्: sacred ford/place of pilgrimage
• तीर्थम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पर्युपासते: worship/attend upon (reverently)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (आस्)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Ātmanepada

• वैखानसाः: Vaikhānasa sages
• वैखानसाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैखानस
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• बालखिल्याः: Bālakhilyas (a class of sages)
• बालखिल्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालखिल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पावकाः: pure, purifying
• पावकाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वायुभोजनाः: air-eating; living on air
• वायुभोजनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायुभोजन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

लोगमश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Lomāśa
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Tridaśas (Devas)
• Candra (Moon)
• Candramasas-tīrtha (Moon’s sacred ford)
• Ṛṣis (sages)
• Vaikhānasa sages
• Bālakhilya sages
• Caityas (shrines)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Reverent approach to tīrthas—seeing shrines, honoring sages, circumambulating sacred sites, and bathing with discipline—functions as a moral and mental purification that supports steadfastness in dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomāśa guides Yudhiṣṭhira on a pilgrimage, identifying a Moon-associated tīrtha with many divine shrines and resident ascetics (Vaikhānasas/Bālakhilyas), and instructing the proper devotional actions to perform there.