Mahabharata — Svargarohana Parva, Shloka 67
Svargārohaṇa-parva Adhyāya 5 — Karmaphala-Nirdeśa and Phalāśruti (कर्मफलनिर्देशः फलश्रुतिश्च)
द्वैपायनोष्ठपुटनि:सृतमप्रमेयं पुण्यं पवित्रमथ पापहरं शिवं च । यो भारतं समधिगच्छति वाच्यमानं कि तस्य पुष्करजलैरभिषेचनेन
dvaipāyanoṣṭha-puṭa-niḥsṛtam aprameyaṃ puṇyaṃ pavitram atha pāpa-haraṃ śivaṃ ca | yo bhārataṃ samadhigacchati vācyamānaṃ kiṃ tasya puṣkara-jalair abhiṣecanena ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Ang Mahābhārata na ito—na lumabas sa mga labi ni Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)—ay di masukat, nagbibigay ng kabutihang-loob, nagpapadalisay, pumupuksa ng kasalanan, at mapalad. Para sa taong tunay na tumatanggap sa Bhārata habang ito’y binibigkas nang malakas, ano pa ang pangangailangan sa ritwal na pagligo sa mga tubig ng Puṣkara?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates śravaṇa (devout hearing) of the Mahābhārata as a powerful means of purification and merit, suggesting that internal transformation through sacred narrative can equal or surpass the merit sought through external pilgrimage rites such as bathing at Puṣkara.
At the close of the epic (Svargārohaṇa Parva), Vaiśampāyana offers a phalaśruti-style commendation: he praises the Mahābhārata as Vyāsa’s sacred utterance and declares that one who properly receives it through recitation gains such sanctity that additional tīrtha-ablutions become unnecessary.