Shloka 1
Brāhmaṇya-प्रश्नः — The Inquiry into Attaining Brāhmaṇya
Mataṅga–Gardabhī Itihāsa
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्ाभारत अनुशासनपर्वके अन्तर्गत दानधर्मपर्वमें ब्रह्महत्यारोंका कथनविषयक चौबीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ ॥/ २४ ॥। ऑपनआक्राता (_ अर: 2 पञ्चविशो<€ ध्याय: विभिन्न तीर्थोंके माहात्म्यका वर्णन युधिषछिर उवाच तीर्थानां दर्शन श्रेय: स्नानं च भरतर्षभ । श्रवण च महाप्राज्ञ श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: tīrthānāṃ darśanaṃ śreyaḥ snānaṃ ca bharatarṣabha | śravaṇaṃ ca mahāprājña śrotum icchāmi tattvataḥ ||
युधिष्ठिर उवाच— तीर्थानां दर्शनं श्रेयः स्नानं च भरतर्षभ । श्रवणं च महाप्राज्ञ श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः ॥
युधिषछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights three traditional means of gaining spiritual benefit: visiting sacred places (darśana), bathing there (snāna), and hearing their sacred significance (śravaṇa). It frames pilgrimage not merely as travel, but as a disciplined pursuit of śreyas—what leads to the highest good—grounded in accurate understanding (tattvataḥ).
At the opening of the chapter on tīrtha-māhātmya, Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions a wise elder/sage addressed as “bharatarṣabha” and “mahāprājña,” requesting a truthful, detailed description of the sacred tīrthas and the merit associated with seeing them, bathing in them, and hearing about them.