Shloka 18
Saptasārasvata-tīrtha-prasaṅgaḥ | The Saptasārasvata Pilgrimage Account and the Maṅkaṇaka Narrative
तत्र गत्वा महाराज बल: श्वेतानुलेपन: । विधिवद्धि धन दत्त्वा मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम्,महाराज! वहाँ जाकर श्वेतचन्दनचर्चित, नीलाम्बरधारी महायशस्वी बलरामजी विशुद्ध अन्त करणवाले महर्षियोंको विधिपूर्वक धन देकर ब्राह्मणोंको नाना प्रकारके भक्ष्य-भोज्य पदार्थ समर्पित करके वहाँसे शंखतीर्थमें चले गये
tatra gatvā mahārāja balaḥ śvetānulepanaḥ | vidhivaddhi dhanaṃ dattvā munīnāṃ bhāvitātmanām ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Raja, setelah tiba di sana, Bala (Balarāma) yang berlumur cendana putih memberikan harta kepada para resi yang jiwanya telah disucikan, sesuai tata upacara.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic conduct through vidhivat dāna—giving in a prescribed, respectful manner to worthy recipients (self-disciplined sages). Ethical emphasis falls on purity of intention, proper procedure, and honoring spiritual exemplars.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Balarāma arrives at a sacred place, adorned with white sandal paste, and performs a proper act of gifting wealth to purified sages—an episode consistent with pilgrimage and ritual observance occurring alongside the wider war-time narrative of the Śalya Parva.