Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 9
Vāg-yuddha and Nimitta-darśana before the Gadāyuddha
Verbal Duel and Omens
तस्मात् समन्तपञ्चकमितो याम द्रुतं नूप । प्रथितोत्तरवेदी सा देवलोके प्रजापते:
sañjaya uvāca | tasmāt samantapañcakam ito yāma drutaṃ nṛpa | prathitottaravedī sā devaloke prajāpateḥ ||
“ฉะนั้น ข้าแต่มหาราช ขอเราจงรีบไปจากที่นี่สู่สมันตปัญจกะ; ณ เทวโลก แผ่นดินนั้นเลื่องชื่อว่า ‘อุตตรเวที’ คือแท่นบูชาทิศเหนือของปรชาปติ ในทิรถะอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์นิรันดร์สูงสุดแห่งไตรโลก ผู้ใดสิ้นชีพในศึก ย่อมไปสู่สวรรค์เป็นแน่”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links sacred place (tīrtha) and righteous warrior-death: dying in battle at a supremely holy field is portrayed as yielding assured heavenly attainment, reflecting the epic’s kṣatriya ideal and the belief in place-based merit.
Sañjaya addresses the king and urges swift movement to the sacred region called Samantapañcaka, identifying it with Prajāpati’s famed ‘northern altar’ in devaloka and emphasizing its extraordinary sanctity and salvific promise for those who fall there in battle.
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