Shloka 6

Pulastya’s Tīrtha Enumeration: Sarasvatī, Naimiṣa, Gayā, and Associated Phalaśruti

Chapter 82

Devanagari script

अस्ति मे हृदये कश्रित्‌ तीर्थभ्यो धर्मसंशय: । तमहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तद्‌ भवान्‌ वक्तुमरहति,मेरे मनमें तीर्थोंसे होनेवाले धर्मके विषयमें कुछ संशय हो गया है, मैं उसीका समाधान सुनना चाहता हूँ; आप बतानेकी कृपा करें

Transliteration

asti me hṛdaye kaścit tīrthebhyo dharma-saṁśayaḥ | tam ahaṁ śrotum icchāmi tad bhavān vaktum arhati ||

Translation

என் உள்ளத்தில் தீர்த்தங்களால் பெறப்படும் தர்மம் குறித்து ஒரு ஐயம் எழுந்துள்ளது. அதன் தீர்வை நான் கேட்க விரும்புகிறேன்; தயை செய்து விளக்க வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• {'asti': 'there is

• exists', 'me': 'for me

• my', 'hṛdaye': 'in the heart

• in the mind', 'kaścit': 'some

• a certain', 'tīrthebhyaḥ (tīrthebhyo)': 'from tīrthas

• from sacred fords/pilgrimage places', 'dharma': 'dharma

• right order', 'saṁśayaḥ': 'doubt

• uncertainty', 'tam': 'that (doubt/matter)', 'aham': 'I', 'śrotum': 'to hear', 'icchāmi': 'I desire

• I wish', 'tad': 'therefore

• in that matter', 'bhavān': 'you (honorific)', 'vaktum': 'to speak

• to explain', 'arhati': 'is worthy

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: pilgrimage (tīrtha) is not treated as automatically self-explanatory; its moral and religious efficacy must be understood rightly. Bhīṣma models humility and discernment by seeking clarification about how dharma is connected to tīrthas.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, speaking respectfully to a knowledgeable interlocutor, states that he has developed a doubt regarding dharma derived from visiting sacred places and asks for an authoritative explanation to resolve it.