Shloka 51

Saptasārasvata-tīrtha-prasaṅgaḥ | The Saptasārasvata Pilgrimage Account and the Maṅkaṇaka Narrative

Devanagari script

शतशकश्च समापेतुरऋषषय: सत्रयाजिन: । तेडवकाशं न ददृशु: सरस्वत्या महाव्रता:,सत्रयागमें सम्मिलित हुए सैकड़ों महान्‌ व्रतधारी ऋषि वहाँ आये थे; परंतु उन्होंने सरस्वतीके तटपर अपने रहनेके लिये स्थान नहीं देखा

Transliteration

śataśaś ca samāpetur ṛṣayaḥ satrayājinaḥ | te ’vakāśaṃ na dadṛśuḥ sarasvatyā mahāvratāḥ ||

Translation

Waiśampāyana berkata: Ratusan resi agung, teguh dalam laku tapa dan terlibat dalam sesi-sesi kurban (satra), berkumpul di sana; namun di tepi Sarasvatī mereka tidak melihat tempat lapang untuk bermukim.

Word by Word

शतशःby hundreds, in hundreds

चand

समापेतुःassembled, came together

ऋषयःsages

सत्रयाजिनःperformers of satra-sacrifices

तेthey

अवकाशम्space, place (to stay)

नnot

ददृशुःsaw, found

सरस्वत्याःof (the river) Sarasvatī

महाव्रताःgreat-vowed, of great vows

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Ṛ

Ṛṣis (sages)

Sarasvatī (river)

Satra-yajña (sacrificial session)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the most meritorious religious undertakings depend on practical dharma—orderly conduct, proper arrangements, and consideration for shared space—so that spiritual aims are not obstructed by avoidable disorder.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that many vow-observant sages arrive to participate in a satra (extended sacrificial session) on the Sarasvatī’s bank, but they find no available place to reside, indicating overcrowding or lack of accommodation at the sacred site.