Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 223

बदरपाचन-तीर्थमाहात्म्यम् | Badarapācana Tīrtha Māhātmya

Indratīrtha and the Austerities of Srucāvatī & Arundhatī

Devanagari script

ससर्ज भगवान्‌ यत्र सर्वलोकपितामह: । उस तीर्थमें गोता लगाकर बुद्धिमान्‌ बलरामजी ब्रह्मयोनि तीर्थमें गये, जहाँ सर्वलोकपितामह ब्रह्माने सृष्टि की थी

Transliteration

yatra sarvalokapitāmahaḥ bhagavān sasarja | tat tīrthe snātvā buddhimān balarāmaḥ brahmayoni-tīrthaṁ jagāma, yatra sarvalokapitāmahaḥ brahmā sṛṣṭiṁ cakāra |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Having bathed at that sacred ford where the divine Grandsire of all worlds—Brahmā—once brought forth creation, the wise Balarāma proceeded to the Brahmayoni Tīrtha, the holy place associated with Brahmā’s creative origin.

Word by Word

• ससर्ज: created, emitted
• ससर्ज: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), 3, singular, परस्मैपदम्

• भगवान्: the Lord; the venerable one
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र

• सर्वलोकपितामहः: the grandsire of all worlds (Brahmā)
• सर्वलोकपितामहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वलोकपितामह
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Balarāma
• Brahmā (Sarvalokapitāmaha)
• Tīrtha (sacred ford)
• Brahmayoni Tīrtha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights tīrtha-yātrā as a dharmic practice: ritual bathing and visiting creation-linked sacred sites symbolize inner cleansing, recollection of cosmic order, and the cultivation of steadiness and discernment in times of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Balarāma bathes at a holy place associated with Brahmā’s act of creation and then goes onward to the Brahmayoni Tīrtha, continuing his pilgrimage through revered sacred sites.