सरस्वतीतीर्थानुक्रमः — बलरामस्य तीर्थयात्रा
Sarasvatī Tīrtha Itinerary — Balarāma’s Pilgrimage
सतु वत्रे वरं देवांस्त्रातुमहथ मामित:
sa tu vatre varaṁ devāṁs trātum arhatha mām itaḥ
Vaiśampāyana berkata, “Namun sekarang, wahai yang terbaik di antara para dewa, patutlah kalian melindungiku dari sini.” Di tengah bahaya dan tekanan moral, sang penutur berpaling pada penjagaan ilahi, memohon perlindungan ketika kekuatan manusia dan sandaran duniawi tak lagi mencukupi.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
When circumstances become overwhelming, one may seek refuge in higher principles and divine protection; the verse models humility and the ethical recognition of human limitation amid crisis.
The narrator’s voice (Vaiśampāyana) conveys an urgent appeal addressed to the gods, asking them to protect the speaker ‘from here’—a brief prayer-like interjection within the tense events of the Śalya Parva.