Shloka 176
Tīrtha-yātrā: Phalaśruti and Sacred Geography from Lohitya to Prayāga
Pulastya’s Instruction
गड्ाह्दश्न तत्रैव कृपश्च भरतर्षभ । तिस््र: कोट्यस्तु तीर्थानां तस्मिन् कूपे महीपते,भरतश्रेष्ठ! वहीं गंगाहद नामक कूप है। भूपाल! उस कूपमें तीन करोड़ तीर्थोका वास है
Gaṅgāhradaś ca tatraiva kṛpaś ca bharatarṣabha | tisraḥ koṭyas tu tīrthānāṃ tasmin kūpe mahīpate ||
Ghūlastya nói: “Hỡi bậc tráng sĩ trong dòng Bhārata, ngay tại đó có chiếc giếng mang tên Gaṅgā-hrada, một nơi linh thiêng bậc nhất. Tâu Đại vương, trong giếng ấy cư ngụ ba koṭi thánh độ (tīrtha).”
घुलस्त्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the Mahābhārata’s tirtha-ethic: certain sacred places are regarded as concentrated reservoirs of spiritual merit, encouraging disciplined pilgrimage, reverence, and dharmic conduct rather than mere travel for its own sake.
Ghūlastya is describing a sacred location to the king he addresses as ‘Bharatarṣabha’, pointing out a well named Gaṅgāhrada and declaring that it contains the presence/fruit of three crores of tīrthas, thereby praising its exceptional sanctity.