Shloka 176
Tīrtha-yātrā: Phalaśruti and Sacred Geography from Lohitya to Prayāga
Pulastya’s Instruction
गड्ाह्दश्न तत्रैव कृपश्च भरतर्षभ । तिस््र: कोट्यस्तु तीर्थानां तस्मिन् कूपे महीपते,भरतश्रेष्ठ! वहीं गंगाहद नामक कूप है। भूपाल! उस कूपमें तीन करोड़ तीर्थोका वास है
Gaṅgāhradaś ca tatraiva kṛpaś ca bharatarṣabha | tisraḥ koṭyas tu tīrthānāṃ tasmin kūpe mahīpate ||
Ghūlastya disse: “Ó touro entre os Bhāratas, ali mesmo há um poço chamado Gaṅgā-hrada, lugar de grande santidade. Ó rei, dentro desse poço habitam três crores de tīrthas, trezentos milhões de vaus sagrados.”
घुलस्त्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the Mahābhārata’s tirtha-ethic: certain sacred places are regarded as concentrated reservoirs of spiritual merit, encouraging disciplined pilgrimage, reverence, and dharmic conduct rather than mere travel for its own sake.
Ghūlastya is describing a sacred location to the king he addresses as ‘Bharatarṣabha’, pointing out a well named Gaṅgāhrada and declaring that it contains the presence/fruit of three crores of tīrthas, thereby praising its exceptional sanctity.