Shloka 9
सरस्वतीतीर्थानुक्रमः — बलरामस्य तीर्थयात्रा
Sarasvatī Tīrtha Itinerary — Balarāma’s Pilgrimage
तेषां तु तपसा प्रीतो नियमेन दमेन च
teṣāṃ tu tapasā prīto niyamena damena ca
But he was pleased with them because of their austerities, their disciplined observances, and their self-restraint.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that genuine approval or grace is won through tapas (austerity), niyama (disciplined observance), and dama (self-restraint). Ethically, it frames inner discipline as a foundational dharmic virtue—especially significant in a war setting where external power is unstable but inner mastery remains praiseworthy.
Vaiśampāyana, as narrator, states that a certain figure (contextually supplied by surrounding verses) became pleased with ‘them’ due to their austerity, disciplined vows, and self-control. This line functions as a causal link explaining why favor, boon, or positive regard is granted.