Shloka 4

Kapālamocana-tīrtha (Auśanasa) and Balarāma’s Sarasvatī Pilgrimage

Devanagari script

सुप्रभा काउ्चनाक्षी च विशाला च मनोरमा । सरस्वती चौघवती सुरेणुर्विमलोदका,उन सबके नाम इस प्रकार हैं--सुप्रभा, कांचनाक्षी, विशाला, मनोरमा, सरस्वती, ओघवती, सुरेणु और विमलोदका

Transliteration

suprabhā kāñcanākṣī ca viśālā ca manoramā | sarasvatī caughavatī sureṇur vimalodakā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Their names are as follows—Suprabhā, Kāñcanākṣī, Viśālā, Manoramā, Sarasvatī, Oghavatī, Sureṇu, and Vimalodakā.”

Word by Word

सुप्रभाSuprabhā (the well-lustrous one; a proper name)

काञ्चनाक्षीKāñcanākṣī (she whose eyes are golden; a proper name)

चand

विशालाViśālā (the broad/large one; a proper name)

चand

मनोरमाManoramā (the charming one; a proper name)

सरस्वतीSarasvatī (a proper name; also the river/goddess Sarasvatī)

चand

ओघवतीOghavatī (she who has a flood/stream; a proper name)

सुरेणुःSureṇu (a proper name; lit. 'good pollen/dust')

विमलोदकाVimalodakā (she whose water is clear; a proper name)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Suprabhā

Kāñcanākṣī

Viśālā

Manoramā

Sarasvatī

Oghavatī

Sureṇu

Vimalodakā

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 highlights reverence for sacred rivers and tīrthas: remembering and naming them is presented as dharma-supporting, associated with purity, auspiciousness, and moral-spiritual renewal even in a war narrative.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is listing the names of a set of sacred rivers/tīrthas—Suprabhā through Vimalodakā—as part of a broader description or catalogue connected with holy places and waters.