Shloka 86
Trita in the Well (Udapāna-kathā) — Balarāma’s Tīrtha Observances
महाराज! चन्द्रमा उत्तम प्रभासतीर्थमें प्रत्येक अमावास्याको स्नान करके कान्तिमान् एवं पुष्ट होते हैं ।।
vaiśampāyana uvāca | mahārāja! candramā uttama-prabhāsatīrthe pratyekāmāvāsyāyāṃ snānaṃ kṛtvā kāntimān evaṃ puṣṭo bhavati | ataś ca etat prajānanti prabhāsam iti bhūmipa | prabhāṃ hi paramāṃ lebhe tasminn unmajjya candramāḥ |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai raja agung, Sang Candra, dengan mandi di tirtha Prabhāsa yang utama pada setiap hari bulan baru, menjadi bercahaya dan kuat. Karena itu, wahai penguasa bumi, orang mengenal tempat ini sebagai ‘Prabhāsa’; sebab di sanalah—dengan menyelam—Candra memperoleh sinar yang tertinggi.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the purifying and renewing power attributed to tīrthas and disciplined observances: regular sacred bathing (especially on amāvāsyā) is portrayed as restoring brilliance and strength, symbolizing moral-spiritual renewal through repeated, intentional practice.
Vaiśampāyana explains to the king why the pilgrimage site is called Prabhāsa: the Moon is said to bathe there on every new-moon day and, by immersing in that tīrtha, gains supreme radiance; the place’s name is thus linked to this famed attainment of ‘prabhā’ (splendour).