Shloka 34

Saptasārasvata-tīrtha-prasaṅgaḥ | The Saptasārasvata Pilgrimage Account and the Maṅkaṇaka Narrative

Devanagari script

प्रायात्‌ प्राचीं दिशं तत्र तत्र तीर्थान्यनेकश: । सहस्रशतसंख्यानि प्रथितानि पदे पदे,पौरव! वहाँ किसीको सर्पोसे भय नहीं होता। उस तीर्थमें भी बलरामजी ब्राह्मणोंको विधिपूर्वक ढेर-के-ढेर रत्न देकर पूर्वदिशाकी ओर चल दिये, जहाँ पग-पगपर अनेक प्रकारके प्रसिद्ध तीर्थ प्रकट हुए हैं। उनकी संख्या लगभग एक लाख है

Transliteration

prāyāt prācīṃ diśaṃ tatra tatra tīrthāny anekaśaḥ | sahasraśata-saṅkhyāni prathitāni pade pade, paurava |

Translation

毗舍波耶那说道：他遂向东方前行；一路之上，步步皆现诸多圣渡口——皆为闻名的朝圣之地，其数以十万计、乃至数十万计，大王普鲁之后裔啊。

Word by Word

• {'prāyāt': 'went forth

• proceeded', 'prācīm diśam': 'the eastern direction', 'tatra tatra': 'here and there

• in various places along the way', 'tīrthāni': 'sacred fords

• holy places', 'anekaśaḥ': 'in many ways

• in great numbers', 'sahasra-śata-saṅkhyāni': 'numbering by thousands and hundreds

• very numerous (idiomatically: in vast numbers)', 'prathitāni': 'well-known

• renowned', 'pade pade': 'at every step

• at every place', 'paurava': 'O Paurava

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Paurava (Janamejaya)
• prācī diś (east)
• tīrthas (pilgrimage sites)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic value of tīrtha-yātrā: moving through sanctified places cultivates purity and auspiciousness, and it is paired with proper honoring of Brahmins through orderly, rule-based giving (dāna), reinforcing social and ritual ethics.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the traveler’s onward movement toward the east, where innumerable renowned pilgrimage sites appear along the route—so many that they are said to be present at every step—addressing the listener as ‘Paurava’ (Janamejaya).