Shloka 152

Tīrtha-yātrā: Phalaśruti and Sacred Geography from Lohitya to Prayāga

Pulastya’s Instruction

Devanagari script

त्रिरात्रोपोषित: स्नात्वा मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया । अग्निष्टोमातिरात्रा भ्यां फलं विन्दति मानव:

Transliteration

trirātropoṣitaḥ snātvā mucyate brahmahatyayā | agniṣṭomātirātrābhyāṁ phalaṁ vindati mānavaḥ ||

Translation

Ai nhịn ăn ba đêm rồi tắm gội sẽ được giải thoát khỏi tội sát hại Bà-la-môn (brahma-slaughter). Nhờ sự hành trì ấy, người đó đạt công đức sánh với các tế lễ Soma mang tên Agniṣṭoma và Atirātra.

Word by Word

त्रिरात्रोपोषितःone who has fasted for three nights

स्नात्वाhaving bathed

मुच्यतेis freed

ब्रह्महत्ययाfrom brahmin-slaying (the sin of killing a Brahmin)

अग्निष्टोमातिरात्राभ्याम्by (means of) the Agniṣṭoma and Atirātra (sacrifices)

फलम्fruit, result

विन्दतिobtains, finds

मानवःa man, human

Speaker

घुलस्त्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

ब

ब्रह्महत्या

अ

अग्निष्टोम

अ

अतिरात्र

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a prāyaścitta (atonement): a three-night fast followed by a purificatory bath is said to release one from the grave sin of brahmahatyā, and to yield merit likened to major Soma-sacrifices—emphasizing self-restraint and purification as restorative ethical disciplines.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker (here attributed as “घुलस्त्य”) states a rule of expiation, describing a specific observance and its spiritual result, within a broader discussion of dharma and remedial rites in the Vana Parva.