Shloka 37
गदायुद्ध-समारम्भः
Commencement of the Mace-Duel Proceedings
ततः प्रीतमना राम: श्र॒ुत्वा तीर्थफलं महत् | विप्राणां संनिधौ "लोकमगायदिममच्युत:
tataḥ prītamanā rāmaḥ śrutvā tīrthaphalaṃ mahat | viprāṇāṃ saṃnidhau lokam agāyad imam acyutaḥ ||
Entonces Rāma (Balarāma), con el ánimo colmado de gozo al oír del gran mérito que se gana al visitar los tīrtha, los vados sagrados, entonó este verso en presencia de los brahmanes.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.
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.