मार्कण्डेय उवाच । परार्थं गच्छतस्तन्मे वदतः शृणु पार्थिव । यथा यावत्फलं तस्य यात्रादिविहितं भवेत्
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca | parārthaṃ gacchatastanme vadataḥ śṛṇu pārthiva | yathā yāvatphalaṃ tasya yātrādivihitaṃ bhavet
Mārkaṇḍeya disse: Ó rei, escuta enquanto explico: para aquele que empreende a jornada em favor de outrem, como e em que medida é ordenado o fruto dessa peregrinação e dos ritos a ela ligados.
Mārkaṇḍeya
Tirtha: परार्थ-यात्रा-फल-निर्णय (to be detailed)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira
Scene: Mārkaṇḍeya raises his hand in teaching gesture, promising a precise account of the ordained fruits of proxy pilgrimage; the king listens attentively.
Dharma regarding pilgrimage has specific ordinances; merit is not vague but described with rules based on intention and prescribed practice.
The verse introduces a general exposition on tīrtha practice, situated within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative.
It signals forthcoming prescriptions about ‘pilgrimage and allied rites’ (yātrā-ādi) when done parārtha (for another).