Shloka 37

गदायुद्ध-समारम्भः

Commencement of the Mace-Duel Proceedings

Devanagari script

ततः प्रीतमना राम: श्र॒ुत्वा तीर्थफलं महत्‌ | विप्राणां संनिधौ "लोकमगायदिममच्युत:,फिर वे प्लक्षप्रसवण नामक शुभ पर्वतशिखरसे नीचे उतर आये और तीर्थ-सेवनका महान्‌ फल सुनकर प्रसन्नचित्त हो अच्युत बलरामने ब्राह्मणोंके समीप इस श्लोकका गान किया--

Transliteration

tataḥ prītamanā rāmaḥ śrutvā tīrthaphalaṃ mahat | viprāṇāṃ saṃnidhau lokam agāyad imam acyutaḥ ||

Translation

Then Rāma (Balarāma), his mind filled with joy on hearing of the great merit gained by visiting sacred fords, sang this verse in the presence of the Brahmins.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

प्रीतमनाhaving a pleased mind, glad-hearted

रामःRama (Balarama)

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

तीर्थफलम्the fruit/result of pilgrimage

महत्great

विप्राणाम्of the Brahmins

संनिधौin the presence, nearby

लोकम्the world; (here) people/world (as object of singing/praising)

अगायत्sang, chanted

इमम्this

अच्युतःAcyuta (the unfailing one; epithet used here for Balarama)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Rāma (Balarāma)

Brahmins (viprāḥ)

tīrtha (sacred pilgrimage places)

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 the dharmic value of tīrtha-sevā (pilgrimage): hearing and affirming the greatness of sacred merit inspires joy and reinforces communal ethics, especially when voiced before Brahmins who function as custodians of tradition.

What is happening in the narrative?

After learning about the great fruit of visiting sacred places, Balarāma becomes delighted and, in the presence of Brahmins, chants a verse—setting up a public, authoritative proclamation of the merit of pilgrimage.