Shloka 11

युधिष्ठिरस्य अर्जुनप्रेषण-युक्तिवर्णनम् | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rationale for Sending Arjuna and Request to Dhaumya

Devanagari script

त्रिशूलखातं तत्रैव तीर्थमासाद्य भारत

Transliteration

triśūlakhātaṃ tatraiva tīrtham āsādya bhārata, bharatakulatilaka! vahāṃ triśūlakhāta nāmakaṃ tīrthaṃ; tatra gatvā snānaṃ kuryāt devatā-pitṛ-pūjāyāṃ ca lagnaḥ syāt. evaṃ kurvan manuṣyo dehatyāgānantaraṃ gaṇapati-padaṃ prāpnoti, atra na saṃśayaḥ.

Translation

ଘୂଲସ୍ତ୍ୟ କହିଲେ—ହେ ଭାରତ, ଭରତକୁଳ-ତିଳକ! ସେଠାରେ ହିଁ ‘ତ୍ରିଶୂଳଖାତ’ ନାମକ ତୀର୍ଥ ଅଛି। ସେଠାକୁ ଯାଇ ସ୍ନାନ କରି ଦେବତା ଓ ପିତୃମାନଙ୍କ ପୂଜାରେ ଲଗ୍ନ ହେଅ। ଏପରି କରୁଥିବା ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ଦେହତ୍ୟାଗ ପରେ ଗଣପତି-ପଦ ପାଏ—ଏଥିରେ ସନ୍ଦେହ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• त्रिशूलखातम्: the (tirtha called) Triśūlakhāta
• त्रिशूलखातम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिशूलखात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आसाद्य: having reached/approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• भरतकुलतिलक: O ornament of the Bharata lineage
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरतकुलतिलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

घुलस्त्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Ghūlastya (speaker)
• Bhārata (addressee, likely a Pāṇḍava)
• Triśūlakhāta tīrtha
• Devatās (gods)
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Gaṇapati (status/title)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Pilgrimage is not merely travel but disciplined practice: reaching a tīrtha, bathing with purity of intent, and honoring both gods and ancestors. Such integrated devotion (deva–pitṛ worship) is presented as a dharmic act that yields exalted posthumous fruit.

What is happening in the narrative?

A guide-like speaker (Ghūlastya) directs the Bharata hero to a specific sacred site named Triśūlakhāta, instructing him to bathe and perform worship there, and then states the promised spiritual result—attainment of Gaṇapati-status after death.