Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 25
बदरपाचन-तीर्थमाहात्म्यम् | Badarapācana Tīrtha Māhātmya
Indratīrtha and the Austerities of Srucāvatī & Arundhatī
कौबेरं प्रययौ तीर्थ तत्र तप्त्वा महत्तप: । धनाधिपत्यं सम्प्राप्तो राजन्नैलविल: प्रभु:
kauberaṁ prayayau tīrthaṁ tatra taptvā mahattapaḥ | dhanādhipatyaṁ samprāpto rājann ailavilaḥ prabhuḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Raja, Balarāma berangkat menuju tirtha bernama Kaubera. Di sana ia mandi dan memberi derma berbagai macam harta. Tempat itu termasyhur sebagai lokasi di mana Sang Kubera yang perkasa—juga disebut Ailavila—menjalani tapa yang berat dan dengan itu meraih kedudukan sebagai penguasa kekayaan.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Prosperity is portrayed as ethically grounded: severe self-discipline (tapas) and righteous generosity (dāna) are presented as meritorious causes that legitimize the attainment of wealth and authority over it, exemplified by Kubera’s rise to the office of lord of riches.
Vaiśampāyana narrates Balarāma’s pilgrimage: Balarāma visits Kaubera-tīrtha, bathes, and gives wealth in charity. The tīrtha is identified as the place where Kubera (Ailavila) performed great austerities and gained the status of overlord of wealth.
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