Shloka 28
Pulastya’s Tīrtha Enumeration: Sarasvatī, Naimiṣa, Gayā, and Associated Phalaśruti
Chapter 82
जो वहाँ स्नान करता तथा देवताओं और पितरोंकी पूजामें संलग्न रहता है, उस पुरुषको अश्वमेधसे दस गुना फल प्राप्त होता है; ऐसा मनीषीगण कहते हैं ।। अप्येक॑ भोजयेद् विप्रं पुष्करारण्यमाश्रित: । तेनासौ कर्मणा भीष्म प्रेत्य चेह च मोदते,भीष्म! पुष्करमें जाकर कम-से-कम एक ब्राह्मणको अवश्य भोजन कराये। उस पुण्यकर्मसे मनुष्य इहलोक और परलोकमें भी आनन्दका भागी होता है
apy ekaṁ bhojayed vipraṁ puṣkarāraṇyam āśritaḥ | tenāsau karmaṇā bhīṣma pretya ceha ca modate ||
Quem ali se banha e permanece dedicado ao culto dos deuses e dos Pitṛs (ancestrais) obtém fruto dez vezes maior que o do Aśvamedha; assim dizem os sábios. E mesmo que, vivendo na floresta sagrada de Puṣkara, alimente apenas um único brāhmaṇa, esse ato—ó Bhīṣma—torna-se para ele fonte de alegria neste mundo e também após a morte.
घुलस्त्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a modest act of charity—feeding just one brāhmaṇa—performed in a sacred context like Puṣkara is presented as highly meritorious, bringing happiness both in this life and after death; dharma is shown as accessible through sincere, concrete acts.
The speaker (Ghaulastya) instructs Bhīṣma while describing the spiritual efficacy of the Puṣkara tīrtha, emphasizing that simple ritual hospitality there yields lasting karmic reward.