Mahabharata — Vana Parva, Shloka 108
युधिष्ठिरस्य अर्जुनप्रेषण-युक्तिवर्णनम् | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rationale for Sending Arjuna and Request to Dhaumya
ततो गच्छेत ब्रह्मुर्षेगौतमस्य वन प्रियम्
tato gacchet brahmarṣe gautamasya vana-priyam | tat-paścāt brahmarṣi-gautamake priya-vanakī yātrā karet | tatra ahalyā-kuṇḍe snānena manuṣyaḥ paramagatiṃ prāpnoti | rājan! gautamasyāśrame gatvā manuṣyaḥ svārthe lakṣmīṃ prāpnoti |
ତାପରେ ବ୍ରହ୍ମର୍ଷି ଗୌତମଙ୍କ ପ୍ରିୟ ବନକୁ ଯିବା ଉଚିତ। ସେଠାରେ ଅହଲ୍ୟାକୁଣ୍ଡରେ ସ୍ନାନ କଲେ ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ପରମ ଗତି ପାଏ। ହେ ରାଜନ! ଗୌତମଙ୍କ ଆଶ୍ରମକୁ ଅଭିଗମନ କଲେ ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ନିଜ ପାଇଁ ଶ୍ରୀ-ସମୃଦ୍ଧି ଲାଭ କରେ।
घुलस्त्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that disciplined pilgrimage to sanctified places associated with great sages, coupled with ritual purity (such as bathing in a revered tīrtha), supports both spiritual elevation (parama-gati) and rightful worldly well-being (lakṣmī), aligning personal benefit with dharmic practice.
The speaker instructs the king on the next stages of a tīrtha-journey: go to the beloved forest of Ṛṣi Gautama, visit his hermitage, and bathe in Ahalyā-kuṇḍa, describing the fruits of these acts—supreme attainment and prosperity.