Shloka 72
Trita in the Well (Udapāna-kathā) — Balarāma’s Tīrtha Observances
तेषां क्षये क्षयो5स्माकं विनास्माभिर्जगच्च किम् | इति ज्ञात्वा लोकगुरो प्रसाद कर्तुमहसि
teṣāṃ kṣaye kṣayo ’smākaṃ vināsmābhir jagac ca kim | iti jñātvā lokaguro prasādaṃ kartum arhasi |
“Jika mereka binasa, kami pun akan binasa; dan apakah artinya dunia tanpa kami? Wahai Guru dunia, ketahuilah ini dan limpahkanlah anugerah.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse argues for compassion and restraint by highlighting interdependence: the destruction of one group rebounds upon the other, and unchecked annihilation threatens the stability of the world. Mercy is presented as a duty aligned with preserving order (dharma), not merely an emotional preference.
A speaker (introduced by Vaiśampāyana) conveys an urgent appeal to a revered authority addressed as ‘Lokaguru,’ requesting grace. The reasoning is pragmatic and ethical: if ‘they’ perish, ‘we’ will also perish, and the world’s continuity will be imperiled—therefore the addressee should intervene with favor.