Shloka 18
Saptasārasvata-tīrtha-prasaṅgaḥ | The Saptasārasvata Pilgrimage Account and the Maṅkaṇaka Narrative
तत्र गत्वा महाराज बल: श्वेतानुलेपन: । विधिवद्धि धन दत्त्वा मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम्
tatra gatvā mahārāja balaḥ śvetānulepanaḥ | vidhivaddhi dhanaṃ dattvā munīnāṃ bhāvitātmanām ||
قال فايشَمبايانا: «أيها الملك، إن بالا (بلاراما)، وقد طُلي جسده بصندلٍ أبيض، مضى إلى هناك ثم قدّم—وفق الشعائر—المال للمنيين ذوي النفوس المصقولة الطاهرة».
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic conduct through vidhivat dāna—giving in a prescribed, respectful manner to worthy recipients (self-disciplined sages). Ethical emphasis falls on purity of intention, proper procedure, and honoring spiritual exemplars.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Balarāma arrives at a sacred place, adorned with white sandal paste, and performs a proper act of gifting wealth to purified sages—an episode consistent with pilgrimage and ritual observance occurring alongside the wider war-time narrative of the Śalya Parva.