Shloka 1
कुमाराभिषेकप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Kumāra (Skanda) Investiture at Sarasvatī
नप्जला रत () आज अत+- - परा, पश्यन्ती, मध्यमा और वैखरी--यह चार प्रकारकी वाणी ही सरस्वतीका चतुर्विध रूप है। त्रिचत्वारिशो<् ध्याय: ऋषियोंके प्रयत्नसे सरस्वतीके शापकी निवृत्ति, जलकी शुद्धि तथा अरुणासंगममें स्नान करनेसे राक्षसों और इन्द्रका संकटमोचन वैशम्पायन उवाच सा शप्ता तेन क्रुद्धेन विश्वामित्रेण धीमता | तस्मिंस्तीर्थवरे शुभ्रे शोणितं समुपावहत्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | sā śaptā tena kruddhena viśvāmitreṇa dhīmatā | tasmiṁs tīrthavare śubhre śoṇitaṁ samupāvahat |
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Im Zorn hatte der weise Viśvāmitra sie verflucht; und kraft dieses Fluches führte der Fluss an jener höchst heiligen und strahlenden Furt Blut mit sich.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the potency of a rishi’s tapas and speech: anger and curse can have far-reaching effects, even disrupting a sacred tīrtha. Implicitly it urges restraint (krodha-nigraha) and reverence for holy places, while preparing for the theme of later purification and release from the curse’s effects.
Vaiśampāyana reports that Sarasvatī, having been cursed by the enraged sage Viśvāmitra, caused blood to flow/appear in the waters at a renowned sacred ford. This sets up the chapter’s ensuing account of how the curse is mitigated and the waters are restored to purity through ritual and ascetic effort.