Mahabharata 3.129.18-22

Devanāgarī

वैशंपायन उवाच
तत्र सभ्रातृकः स्नात्वा स्तूयमानो महर्षिभिः ॥
लोमशं पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥
सर्वांल् लोकान् प्रपश्यामि तपसा सत्यविक्रम ॥
इहस्थः पाण्डवश्रेष्ठं पश्यामि श्वेतवाहनम् ॥
लोमश उवाच
एवम् एतन् महाबाहो पश्यन्ति परमर्षयः ॥
सरस्वतीम् इमां पुण्यां पश्यैकशरणावृताम् ॥
यत्र स्नात्वा नरश्रेष्ठ धूतपाप्मा भविष्यति ॥
इह सारस्वतैर् यज्ञैर् इष्टवन्तः सुरर्षयः ॥
ऋषयश् चैव कौन्तेय तथा राजर्षयो ऽपि च ॥
वेदी प्रजापतेर् एषा समन्तात् पञ्चयोजना ॥
कुरोर् वै यज्ञशीलस्य क्षेत्रम् एतन् महात्मनः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
tatra sabhrātṛkaḥ snātvā stūyamāno maharṣibhiḥ ||
lomaśaṃ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭha idaṃ vacanam abravīt ||
sarvāṃl lokān prapaśyāmi tapasā satyavikrama ||
ihasthaḥ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭhaṃ paśyāmi śvetavāhanam ||
lomaśa uvāca
evam etan mahābāho paśyanti paramarṣayaḥ ||
sarasvatīm imāṃ puṇyāṃ paśyaikaśaraṇāvṛtām ||
yatra snātvā naraśreṣṭha dhūtapāpmā bhaviṣyati ||
iha sārasvatair yajñair iṣṭavantaḥ surarṣayaḥ ||
ṛṣayaś caiva kaunteya tathā rājarṣayo 'pi ca ||
vedī prajāpater eṣā samantāt pañcayojanā ||
kuror vai yajñaśīlasya kṣetram etan mahātmanaḥ ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

वैशंपायन उवाच तत्र सभ्रातृकः स्नात्वा स्तूयमानो महर्षिभिः ॥ लोमशं पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥ सर्वांल् लोकान् प्रपश्यामि तपसा सत्यविक्रम ॥ इहस्थः पाण्डवश्रेष्ठं पश्यामि श्वेतवाहनम् ॥ लोमश उवाच एवम् एतन् महाबाहो पश्यन्ति परमर्षयः ॥ सरस्वतीम् इमां पुण्यां पश्यैकशरणावृताम् ॥ यत्र स्नात्वा नरश्रेष्ठ धूतपाप्मा भविष्यति ॥ इह सारस्वतैर् यज्ञैर् इष्टवन्तः सुरर्षयः ॥ ऋषयश् चैव कौन्तेय तथा राजर्षयो ऽपि च ॥ वेदी प्रजापतेर् एषा समन्तात् पञ्चयोजना ॥ कुरोर् वै यज्ञशीलस्य क्षेत्रम् एतन् महात्मनः ॥vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca tatra sabhrātṛkaḥ snātvā stūyamāno maharṣibhiḥ || lomaśaṃ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭha idaṃ vacanam abravīt || sarvāṃl lokān prapaśyāmi tapasā satyavikrama || ihasthaḥ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭhaṃ paśyāmi śvetavāhanam || lomaśa uvāca evam etan mahābāho paśyanti paramarṣayaḥ || sarasvatīm imāṃ puṇyāṃ paśyaikaśaraṇāvṛtām || yatra snātvā naraśreṣṭha dhūtapāpmā bhaviṣyati || iha sārasvatair yajñair iṣṭavantaḥ surarṣayaḥ || ṛṣayaś caiva kaunteya tathā rājarṣayo 'pi ca || vedī prajāpater eṣā samantāt pañcayojanā || kuror vai yajñaśīlasya kṣetram etan mahātmanaḥ ||Vaishampayana says that there the Pandava, together with his brothers, bathed, praised by the maharshis, and said to Lomasha that by the power of austerity he sees all the worlds, and, being here, sees the Pandava with white horses; Lomasha says that so it is, this the highest sages see; he bids him look at the sacred Sarasvati, covered with a single reed; having bathed in it, the best of men will be cleansed of sin; here the sura-sages, the sages, and the royal sages worshiped with Sarasvata sacrifices; this is the altar of Prajapati, five yojanas all around, the field of great Kuru, who loved sacrifice.

Translation

Vaishampayana said: 'There the Pandava, together with his brothers, performed his ablutions, praised by the maharshis, and spoke this word to Lomasha: "By the power of austerity, O truly mighty one, I see all the worlds. Standing here, I see the Pandava with white horses." Lomasha said: "So it is, mighty-armed one: this the highest sages see. Behold this sacred Sarasvati, covered with a single reed. Having bathed here, best of men, you will become cleansed of sin. Here the sura-sages performed Sarasvata sacrifices, and so did the sages, Kaunteya, and the royal sages as well. Here is the altar of Prajapati: around it lies five yojanas. This is the field of great Kuru, who loved sacrifice."'

Commentary

Yudhishthira's vision expands: the holy place grants sight of the worlds, even of Arjuna far away. But Lomasha at once turns the gaze back to the Sarasvati and the altar of Prajapati -- vision should lead to purification, not to pride.

Version

1efe2190bb31 · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:06:19 PM UTC

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