Shloka 37
Sarasvatī-Śāpavimokṣa, Rākṣasa-Mokṣa, and Aruṇā-Tīrtha
Indra–Namuci Expiation
ततो<पवाहितं दृष्टवा वसिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम्
tato ’pavāhitaṃ dṛṣṭvā vasiṣṭham ṛṣisattamam | śoṇitaṃ vaha kalyāṇi rakṣogrāmaṇisammatam ||
Kemudian, melihat resi utama Vasiṣṭha kembali dihanyutkan menjauh darinya, Viśvāmitra yang mudah tersulut harga dirinya, murka karena duka, berseru: “Wahai Sarasvatī yang mulia, terbaik di antara sungai! Engkau menipuku lalu pergi lagi; maka kini jangan air yang mengalir, melainkan darah—darah yang disukai para pemimpin rākṣasa.”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
Uncontrolled anger and humiliation can distort one’s sense of dharma, attempting to weaponize even sacred forces; the episode warns that spiritual or natural powers should not be bent toward cruelty and revenge.
After Vasiṣṭha is seen swept away by the river, the enraged speaker addresses Sarasvatī and orders her to flow with blood instead of water—an extreme curse-like command aimed at empowering destructive beings (rākṣasa chiefs).