Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 1
सरस्वतीतीर्थानुक्रमः — बलरामस्य तीर्थयात्रा
Sarasvatī Tīrtha Itinerary — Balarāma’s Pilgrimage
ऑपनआक्रात बछ। 2 षट्त्रिशो5ध्याय: उदपानतीर्थकी उत्पत्तिकी तथा त्रित मुनिके कूपमें गिरने
vaiśampāyana uvāca | tasmān nadī-gataṃ cāpi udapānaṃ yaśasvinaḥ | tritasya ca mahārāja jagāmātha halāyudhaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Raja, setelah berangkat dari tirtha suci yang berada di dalam aliran sungai itu, Halāyudha (Balarāma) kemudian pergi ke udapāna-tīrtha yang termasyhur milik resi Trita, yang terletak di dalam perairan Sungai Sarasvatī.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds tīrtha-yātrā as a dharmic practice: moving from one sacred site to another, honoring the memory of sages and the sanctity of places associated with austerity and ritual. It implies that ethical and spiritual refinement can be pursued through reverent engagement with sacred geography and rishi-heritage.
Vaiśampāyana narrates Balarāma’s onward journey: after leaving a river-based sacred spot, he proceeds to the famous udapāna (well) associated with the sage Trita, a tīrtha located within the waters of the Sarasvatī.