Shloka 185
Tīrtha-yātrā: Phalaśruti and Sacred Geography from Lohitya to Prayāga
Pulastya’s Instruction
Devanagari script
सोमतीर्थे नर: स्नात्वा तीर्थसेवी नराधिप
Transliteration
Somatīrthe naraḥ snātvā tīrthasevī narādhipa
Translation
நராதிபரே! சோமதீர்த்தத்தில் நீராடி, தீர்த்த சேவையில் ஈடுபட்டு வாழும் மனிதன்—
Word by Word
सोमतीर्थेat the Soma-tirtha (pilgrimage place named Soma-tirtha)
सोमतीर्थे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसोमतीर्थ
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
नरःa man
नरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
स्नात्वाhaving bathed
स्नात्वा:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootस्ना
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
तीर्थसेवीa tirtha-attendant / one devoted to visiting sacred fords
तीर्थसेवी:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतीर्थसेविन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नराधिपO king (lord of men)
नराधिप:
TypeNoun
Rootनराधिप
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
Speaker
घुलस्त्य उवाच
Characters & Entities
G
GhūlastyaS
SomatīrthaN
narādhipa (the king addressed)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Reverent pilgrimage—especially ritual bathing at a tīrtha and sustained devotion to sacred observances—is presented as a purifier that supports dharmic living and moral self-discipline.
A speaker (Ghūlastya) addresses a king and begins describing the spiritual benefit of bathing at the sacred place Somatīrtha, as part of a broader tīrtha-mahātmya (praise of pilgrimage sites) section in the Vana Parva.