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Shloka 1

सरस्वतीतीर्थानुक्रमः — बलरामस्य तीर्थयात्रा

Sarasvatī Tīrtha Itinerary — Balarāma’s Pilgrimage

Devanagari script

ऑपनआक्रात बछ। 2 षट्त्रिशो5ध्याय: उदपानतीर्थकी उत्पत्तिकी तथा त्रित मुनिके कूपमें गिरने, वहाँ यज्ञ करने और अपने भाइयोंको शाप देनेकी कथा वैशम्पायन उवाच तस्मान्नदीगतं चापि हुदपानं यशस्विन: । त्रितस्य च महाराज जगामाथ हलायुध:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--महाराज! उस चमसोद्धेद-तीर्थसे चलकर बलरामजी यशस्वी त्रितमुनिके उदपान तीर्थमें गये, जो सरस्वती नदीके जलमें स्थित है

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | tasmān nadī-gataṃ cāpi udapānaṃ yaśasvinaḥ | tritasya ca mahārāja jagāmātha halāyudhaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, departing from that sacred spot situated in the river, Halāyudha (Balarāma) then went to the renowned well-shrine (udapāna-tīrtha) of the sage Trita, which lies within the waters of the Sarasvatī.”

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaishampayana

उवाचsaid

तस्मात्from that (place)

नदीगतम्situated in the river

चand

अपिalso

उदपानम्the well / well-tirtha

यशस्विनःof the illustrious (one)

त्रितस्यof Trita

चand

महाराजO great king

जगामwent

अथthen

हलायुधःBalarama (he whose weapon is a plough)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Mahārāja (Janamejaya, implied addressee)

Halāyudha (Balarāma)

Trita (sage)

Udapāna-tīrtha (well-shrine of Trita)

Sarasvatī River (implied by context of udapāna in the river)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds tīrtha-yātrā as a dharmic practice: moving from one sacred site to another, honoring the memory of sages and the sanctity of places associated with austerity and ritual. It implies that ethical and spiritual refinement can be pursued through reverent engagement with sacred geography and rishi-heritage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates Balarāma’s onward journey: after leaving a river-based sacred spot, he proceeds to the famous udapāna (well) associated with the sage Trita, a tīrtha located within the waters of the Sarasvatī.