Mahabharata 3.201.58 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 201, Shloka 58
Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)
तत्र पुष्योदका नाम नदी तेषां विधीयते | शीतलं सलिल तत्र पिबन्ति हामृतोपमम्
tatra puṣyodakā nāma nadī teṣāṃ vidhīyate | śītalaṃ salilaṃ tatra pibanti hāmṛtopamam ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Doon, itinalaga para sa kanila ang isang ilog na tinatawag na Puṣyodakā. Sa pook na iyon, iniinom nila ang malamig na tubig nito, na tulad ng nektar—isang gantimpalang makalangit na iginagawad sa mga matuwid na nagsagawa ng marangal na kaloob na tubig, na nagdudulot ng ginhawa at ligaya sa kabilang buhay.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights jaladāna (the gift of water) as a powerful ethical act whose merit yields tangible comfort in the afterlife—symbolized by access to a cool, nectar-like river reserved for the righteous.
Vaiśampāyana describes a specific otherworldly provision: those who have earned merit (especially through giving water) are granted the river Puṣyodakā, from which they drink cool water like nectar.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.