Shloka 152

युधिष्ठिरस्य अर्जुनप्रेषण-युक्तिवर्णनम् | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rationale for Sending Arjuna and Request to Dhaumya

Devanagari script

समारुहा[ नरश्रेष्ठ स्तनकुण्डेषु संविशेत्‌ । स्तनकुण्डमुपस्पृश्य वाजपेयफलं लभेत्‌,नरश्रेष्ठ उस शिखरपर चढ़कर मानव स्तनकुण्डमें स्नान करे। स्तनकुण्डमें अवगाहन करनेसे वाजपेययज्ञका फल प्राप्त होता है

Transliteration

samāruhya naraśreṣṭha stanakuṇḍeṣu saṁviśet | stanakuṇḍam upaspṛśya vājapeyaphalaṁ labhet |

Translation

Hỡi bậc tối thượng trong loài người, khi đã trèo lên đỉnh ấy, hãy vào tắm trong những hồ gọi là Stanakuṇḍa. Chỉ cần chạm và dìm mình trong Stanakuṇḍa thì được công đức ngang với lễ tế Vājapeya.

Word by Word

समारुह्यhaving climbed (ascended)

नरश्रेष्ठO best of men

स्तनकुण्डेषुin the Stana-kundas (breast-shaped pools)

संविशेत्should enter / should immerse

स्तनकुण्डम्the Stana-kunda (pool)

उपस्पृश्यhaving touched / having bathed (by contact)

वाजपेयफलम्the fruit (merit) of the Vajapeya (sacrifice)

लभेत्would obtain / should obtain

Speaker

घुलस्त्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Ghūlastya

Stanakuṇḍa (sacred pools)

Vājapeya (sacrifice/ritual)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that sincere pilgrimage and ritual purity—symbolized by bathing in a sacred tīrtha—can confer great spiritual merit comparable to major Vedic sacrifices, emphasizing accessible paths to dharma through devotion and disciplined conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

A guide/speaker (Ghūlastya) instructs a noble listener to climb to a peak and bathe in the sacred pools named Stanakuṇḍa, declaring that this act grants the reward of performing the Vājapeya yajña.