Shloka 163
Tīrtha-yātrā: Phalaśruti and Sacred Geography from Lohitya to Prayāga
Pulastya’s Instruction
यत्र योगेश्वर: स्थाणु: स्वयमेव वृषध्वज: । तमर्चयित्वा देवेशं गमनादेव सिध्यति,वहाँ योगेश्वर एवं वृषभध्वज स्वयं भगवान् शिव निवास करते हैं। उन देवेश्वरकी पूजा करके मनुष्य वहाँ जानेमात्रसे सिद्ध हो जाता है
yatra yogeśvaraḥ sthāṇuḥ svayameva vṛṣadhvajaḥ | tam arcayitvā deveśaṃ gamanādeva sidhyati ||
“May isang pook na doo’y nananahan sa sarili niyang anyo ang Panginoon ng Yoga—si Sthāṇu, si Śiva na may watawat na toro. Kapag sinamba ang Panginoon ng mga diyos na iyon, ang tao’y nagkakamit ng ganap na kaganapan sa espiritu sa pagparoon pa lamang.”
घुलस्त्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes tīrtha-yātrā and devotion: when a sacred place is understood as the living presence of Śiva, worship there yields swift spiritual ‘success’—suggesting that sincere reverence and purposeful pilgrimage can transform a person even through the simple act of reaching such a holy site.
A speaker (here indicated as Ghulastya) describes a holy place associated with Śiva, praising it as a site where Śiva dwells personally. The statement functions as tīrtha-māhātmya—encouraging worship and pilgrimage by declaring the extraordinary merit gained by visiting and honoring the deity there.