Shloka 46
सरस्वतीतीर्थानुक्रमः — बलरामस्य तीर्थयात्रा
Sarasvatī Tīrtha Itinerary — Balarāma’s Pilgrimage
सतु वत्रे वरं देवांस्त्रातुमहथ मामित:
sa tu vatre varaṁ devāṁs trātum arhatha mām itaḥ
Vaiśampāyana said: “But now, O excellent ones among the gods, you ought to protect me from here.” In the midst of peril and moral strain, the speaker turns to divine guardianship, seeking refuge and preservation when human strength and worldly supports are insufficient.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
When circumstances become overwhelming, one may seek refuge in higher principles and divine protection; the verse models humility and the ethical recognition of human limitation amid crisis.
The narrator’s voice (Vaiśampāyana) conveys an urgent appeal addressed to the gods, asking them to protect the speaker ‘from here’—a brief prayer-like interjection within the tense events of the Śalya Parva.