Shloka 38
इन्द्रवृत्रयुद्धवर्णनम्
Indra–Vṛtra Conflict and the Adversaries’ Tapas-Targeting Counsel
तस्य तीर्थस्य रूप॑ वै दीप्ताद् दीप्ततरं बभौ । अप्रधृष्यतरश्नासीच्छात्रवाणां नरर्षभ,नरश्रेष्ठ) उस तीर्थमें स्नान कर लेनेपर राजा युधिष्ठिरका रूप अत्यन्त तेजोयुक्त हो प्रकाशमान हो गया। अब वे शत्रुओंके लिये परम दुर्धर्ष हो गये
tasya tīrthasya rūpaṁ vai dīptād dīptataraṁ babhau | apradhṛṣyatarasnāsyac chātravāṇāṁ nararṣabha ||
Vaiśampāyana nói: “Sau khi tắm ở bến thiêng ấy, dung mạo Yudhiṣṭhira rực sáng với một thứ hào quang còn chói hơn trước. Được thanh tẩy nơi đó, bậc ‘ngưu vương giữa loài người’ trở nên càng khó bị khuất phục trước kẻ thù.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links tīrtha-observance and ritual purification with an increase of tejas (radiant moral power). It implies that dharmic conduct—here, bathing at a sacred place with proper intent—strengthens a ruler’s inner steadiness and outward authority, making him harder for enemies to overcome.
During the Pāṇḍavas’ forest period, Yudhiṣṭhira bathes at a particular tīrtha. Immediately afterward, his appearance becomes markedly more radiant, and he is described as becoming even more unassailable to foes—an auspicious sign of gained merit and renewed strength.