Shloka 185

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

Pulastya’s Instruction

Devanagari script

सोमतीर्थे नर: स्नात्वा तीर्थसेवी नराधिप

Transliteration

Somatīrthe naraḥ snātvā tīrthasevī narādhipa

Translation

古拉斯提耶（Ghūlastya）曰：“大王，凡于苏摩圣渡（Somatīrtha）沐浴，又以虔敬常侍诸圣渡（tīrtha）者，得如朝圣之净福；此乃告诫：在圣地以戒行与恭敬自持，最能洗涤内心，成就正行。”

Word by Word

• सोमतीर्थे: at the Soma-tirtha (pilgrimage place named Soma-tirtha)
• सोमतीर्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमतीर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• तीर्थसेवी: a tirtha-attendant / one devoted to visiting sacred fords
• तीर्थसेवी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थसेविन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

घुलस्त्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Ghūlastya
• Somatīrtha
• narādhipa (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Reverent pilgrimage—especially ritual bathing at a tīrtha and sustained devotion to sacred observances—is presented as a purifier that supports dharmic living and moral self-discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker (Ghūlastya) addresses a king and begins describing the spiritual benefit of bathing at the sacred place Somatīrtha, as part of a broader tīrtha-mahātmya (praise of pilgrimage sites) section in the Vana Parva.