Shloka 56
युधिष्ठिरस्य अर्जुनप्रेषण-युक्तिवर्णनम् | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rationale for Sending Arjuna and Request to Dhaumya
जो छठे समय उपवासपूर्वक एक मासतक महालयतीर्थमें निवास करता है, वह सब पापोंसे शुद्धचित्त हो प्रचुर सुवर्णराशि प्राप्त करता है। साथ ही दस पहलेकी और दस बादकी पीढ़ियोंका उद्धार कर देता है ।। अथ वेतसिकां गत्वा पितामहनिषेविताम् | अश्वमेधमवाप्रोति गच्छेदौशनसीं गतिम्,तत्पश्चात् ब्रह्माजीके द्वारा सेवित वेतसिकातीर्थमें जाकर मनुष्य अश्वमेधयज्ञका फल पाता और शुक्राचार्यके लोकमें जाता है
yaḥ ṣaṣṭhe samaye upavāsa-pūrvakaṃ eka-māsatakaṃ mahālayatīrthe nivāsaṃ karoti, sa sarva-pāpebhyaḥ śuddha-cittaḥ bhūtvā pracura-suvarṇa-rāśiṃ prāpnoti; sārdhaṃ ca daśa pūrvakīnāṃ daśa cāparakīnāṃ pīḍhīnāṃ uddhāraṃ karoti. atha vetasikāṃ gatvā pitāmaha-niṣevitām, aśvamedham avāpnoti, gacched auśanasīṃ gatim; tataḥ paścāt brahmājī-kṛta-niṣevitāyāṃ vetasikā-tīrthe gatvā manuṣyaḥ aśvamedha-yajñasya phalaṃ prāpnoti śukrācārya-lokaṃ ca gacchati.
Wika ni Ghūlastya: “Sinumang sa itinakdang ikaanim na sandali ay mag-ayuno at manahan nang isang buong buwan sa banal na tawiran ng Mahālaya (Mahālaya tīrtha), ay lilinisin sa lahat ng kasalanan, magkakamit ng saganang bunton ng ginto, at higit pa’y magliligtas sa sampung salinlahi bago at sampung salinlahi pagkatapos niya. Pagkaraan, pagpunta sa Vetasikā—na dinalaw ni Pitāmaha—matatamo niya ang kabutihang-kapalad na katumbas ng handog na Aśvamedha at mararating ang landas patungo sa Auśanasa (Śukra). At pagkatapos nito, sa tīrtha ng Vetasikā na iginagalang maging ni Brahmā, tatanggapin ng tao ang bunga ng Aśvamedha at makararating sa daigdig ni Śukrācārya.”
घुलस्त्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that disciplined austerity (fasting) combined with sustained residence at a sacred tīrtha is portrayed as powerfully purifying, yielding both personal merit (inner purification and prosperity) and transgenerational benefit (uplift of ancestors and descendants). It also equates tīrtha-observance with the highest royal sacrifice (Aśvamedha), emphasizing ethical self-restraint over costly ritual display.
A speaker named Ghūlastya is describing the fruits of specific pilgrimage observances: staying a month at Mahālaya with a prescribed fast, then visiting the Vetasikā tīrtha associated with Pitāmaha/Brahmā. These acts are said to confer Aśvamedha-level merit and lead to an exalted posthumous destination identified with Śukra (Śukrācārya).