Shloka 26
सरस्वतीतीर्थानुक्रमः — बलरामस्य तीर्थयात्रा
Sarasvatī Tīrtha Itinerary — Balarāma’s Pilgrimage
तद्धयादपसर्पन् वै तस्मिन् कूपे पपात ह । अगाधे सुमहाघोरे सर्वभूतभयंकरे
taddhyādapasarpan vai tasmin kūpe papāta ha | agādhe sumahāghore sarvabhūtabhayaṅkare ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Demikianlah, ketika ia mundur karena takut, ia benar-benar jatuh ke sumur itu—tak berdasar, amat mengerikan, dan menakutkan bagi semua makhluk.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Fear-driven, unreflective action can magnify danger; steadiness and discernment are implied virtues, since fleeing blindly may lead to a worse calamity than the original threat.
The speaker narrates that, while retreating in fear, the person falls into a dreadful, bottomless well—described as terrifying to all beings—marking a sudden turn from flight to disaster.