Shloka 44
Saptasārasvata-tīrtha-prasaṅgaḥ | The Saptasārasvata Pilgrimage Account and the Maṅkaṇaka Narrative
नैमिषारण्यवासियोंके उस द्वादशवर्षीय यज्ञमें वे महाभाग ऋषि दीर्घकालतक रहे। जब वह यज्ञ समाप्त हो गया तब बहुत-से महर्षि तीर्थसेवनके लिये वहाँ आये ।।
ṛṣīṇāṃ bahulatvāt tu sarasvatyā viśāṃpate | tīrthāni nagarāyante kūle vai dakṣiṇe tadā ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O lord of the people, because the sages were so numerous, all the sacred fords along the southern bank of the Sarasvatī at that time appeared like towns—crowded with ascetics, rites, and the bustle of pilgrimage after the great sacrifice had concluded.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how collective dharmic activity—many sages gathering for sacrifice and pilgrimage—can transform a landscape into a living center of sanctity, suggesting that holiness is intensified by sustained practice, community, and presence.
After a long sacrificial session, numerous sages assemble for tīrtha-sevana (pilgrimage). Their sheer numbers make the Sarasvatī’s southern-bank pilgrimage spots look like bustling towns.