Shloka 40
गदायुद्ध-समारम्भः
Commencement of the Mace-Duel Proceedings
ततो मुहुर्मुहुः प्रीत्या प्रेक्षमाण: सरस्वतीम् । हयैर्युक्ते रथं शुभ्रमातिषछ्ठत परंतप:,तदनन्तर शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले बलरामजी बारंबार प्रेमपूर्वक सरस्वती नदीकी ओर देखते हुए घोड़ोंसे जुते उज्ज्वल रथपर आरूढ़ हुए
tato muhurmuhuḥ prītyā prekṣamāṇaḥ sarasvatīm | hayairyukte rathaṁ śubhram ātiṣṭhat parantapaḥ ||
তারপর শত্রু-সন্তাপক বলরাম প্রেমভরে বারবার সরস্বতী নদীর দিকে চেয়ে, অশ্বযোজিত উজ্জ্বল রথে আরোহণ করলেন।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even within a martial setting, the verse foregrounds reverence and mindful attention to sacred places: the hero’s repeated, affectionate gaze toward Sarasvatī suggests that dharmic life includes honoring sanctity and maintaining inner devotion alongside outward action.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that the hero (addressed as ‘parantapaḥ’) repeatedly looks with fondness at the Sarasvatī river and then mounts a bright horse-yoked chariot, indicating his departure or onward movement after paying respectful attention to the river.