Shloka 6
Plakṣāvataraṇa–Yamunā Tīrtha and Prajāpati’s Vedī
Kurukṣetra Threshold
एषा शम्येकपत्रा या सरकं चैतदुत्तमम् | पश्य रामह्ददानेतान् पश्य नारायणाश्रमम्,यह एक पत्तेवाली शमीका अवशेष अंश है तथा यह उत्तम सरोवर है। देखो, ये परशुरामजीके कुण्ड हैं और यह नारायणाश्रम है
eṣā śamyekapatrā yā sarakaṃ caitad uttamam | paśya rāmahṛdadān etān paśya nārāyaṇāśramam ||
Lomaśa disse: “Aqui está aquela árvore śamī de uma só folha—este é o seu fragmento remanescente; e aqui está este excelente lago. Vê: estes são os tanques sagrados de Rāma (Paraśurāma). E vê: este é o eremitério de Nārāyaṇa.”
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes reverence for tīrthas and sacred landmarks: dharma is supported not only by abstract rules but also by remembrance of holy places, sages, and exemplary figures (like Nārāyaṇa and Paraśurāma), which inspire restraint, purity, and right conduct.
During the Pāṇḍavas’ pilgrimage in the forest, the sage Lomaśa points out notable sacred sites: a famed one-leaved śamī tree (as a remnant), an excellent lake, the sacred pools associated with Paraśurāma, and the hermitage of Nārāyaṇa—guiding the travelers through a spiritually charged landscape.