Shloka 16
कुमाराभिषेकप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Kumāra (Skanda) Investiture at Sarasvatī
राजन! उन सभी ब्राह्मणोंने तप, नियम, उपवास, नाना प्रकारके संयम तथा कष्टसाध्य व्रतोंके द्वारा पशुपति विश्वनाथ महादेवजीकी आराधना करके सरिताओंमें श्रेष्ठ उस सरस्वती देवीको शापसे छुटकारा दिलाया ।।
rājan! te sarve brāhmaṇās tapo-niyama-upavāsaiḥ nānāvidhaiḥ saṃyamaiḥ kaṣṭasādhyaiś ca vrataiḥ paśupatiṃ viśvanāthaṃ mahādevaṃ samārādhya saritāṃ śreṣṭhāṃ tāṃ sarasvatīṃ devīṃ śāpāt pramocayām āsuḥ. teṣāṃ tu sā prabhāveṇa prakṛtisthā sarasvatī | prasannasalilā jajñe yathāpūrvaṃ tathaiva hi ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Raja, para brāhmaṇa itu, dengan tapa, disiplin, puasa, berbagai pengendalian diri, dan kaul-kaul yang berat, memuja Paśupati Viśvanātha Mahādeva, lalu membebaskan sang dewi Sarasvatī—yang termulia di antara sungai-sungai—dari kutukan. Berkat daya laku mereka, Sarasvatī kembali ke keadaan alaminya; airnya menjadi jernih dan tenang seperti sediakala.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Disciplined spiritual practice—tapas, restraint, and vows—when directed with devotion, is portrayed as having real efficacy: it can remove affliction (a curse) and restore harmony in the natural and moral order. The verse highlights self-control and worship as means of purification and communal well-being.
A group of Brahmins propitiate Śiva (Paśupati/Viśvanātha/Mahādeva) through austerities and vows. By the power of their worship, the river-goddess Sarasvatī is released from a curse and her waters become clear again, returning to their former, natural state.