Shloka 3
Sārasvata–Dadhīca Upākhyāna at Sarasvatī Tīrtha
Balarāma’s Pilgrimage Context
अक्रोधनो महाराज तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुति: । प्रियाप्रिये तुल्यवृत्ति्यमवत्समदर्शन:
akrodhano mahārāja tulya-nindātma-saṁstutiḥ | priyāpriye tulya-vṛttir yama-vat sama-darśanaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, he was free from anger. He regarded censure and praise as equal. In the gain of what is pleasant and what is unpleasant, his mental disposition remained the same. Like Yama, he looked upon all with an even, impartial gaze.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises the ethical ideal of equanimity: freedom from anger, equal regard for praise and blame, steadiness amid pleasant and unpleasant outcomes, and impartiality toward all—qualities associated with dharmic self-mastery and just conduct.
Vaiśampāyana is describing a person’s character to the king, highlighting inner discipline and impartial judgment. The comparison to Yama underscores a standard of fairness and even-handedness rather than emotional reactivity.