Shloka 17

Trita in the Well (Udapāna-kathā) — Balarāma’s Tīrtha Observances

Devanagari script

सम्भारांस्तीर्थयात्रायां सर्वोपकरणानि च । आनयघध्वं द्वारकायामग्नीन्‌ वै याजकांस्तथा

Transliteration

sambhārāṁs tīrthayātrāyāṁ sarvopakaraṇāni ca | ānayadhvaṁ dvārakāyām agnīn vai yājakāṁs tathā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Während er noch auf dem Weg verweilte, befahl Balarāma seinen Begleitern: „Eilt nach Dvārakā und bringt alle Vorräte und alle nötigen Gerätschaften für die Pilgerfahrt zurück—samt den heiligen Feuern des Agnihotra und den zelebrierenden Priestern.“

Word by Word

• {'sambhārān': 'supplies, provisions, requisites', 'tīrthayātrāyām': 'on/for a pilgrimage to sacred fords (tīrthas)', 'sarva-upakaraṇāni': 'all implements/equipment

• necessary apparatus', 'ānayadhvam': 'bring (you all)

• imperative, 2nd person plural', 'dvārakāyām': 'in/from Dvārakā (locative

• context implies ‘from Dvārakā’)', 'agnīn': 'sacred fires (esp. for household/ritual use)', 'vai': 'indeed, certainly (emphatic particle)', 'yājakān': 'sacrificing priests/officiants', 'tathā': 'and also

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dvārakā
• tīrthayātrā (pilgrimage)
• agnihotra-agni (sacred ritual fires)
• yājaka (priests/officiants)
• Balarāma
• attendants/servants (implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sacred undertakings like pilgrimage should be performed with proper readiness and adherence to ritual propriety—ensuring the needed materials, sacred fires, and qualified priests are in place—so that dharma is upheld through order and care.

What is happening in the narrative?

Balarāma pauses on the route and commands his attendants to go to Dvārakā to fetch pilgrimage supplies, necessary implements, the agnihotra fires, and the officiating priests, indicating he is preparing to proceed with a properly arranged tīrtha-yātrā.