Shloka 34

Ārṣṭiṣeṇa’s Siddhi and the Tīrtha-Boons; Sindhudvīpa–Devāpi Brāhmaṇya; Viśvāmitra’s Tapas Begins

Devanagari script

तत्राप्लुत्य स धर्मात्मा उपस्पृश्य हलायुध:

Transliteration

tatrāplutya sa dharmātmā upaspṛśya halāyudhaḥ

Translation

There, having bathed, that righteous-souled one—Halāyudha (Balarāma)—performed the rite of purification by touching water, acting in accordance with dharma and proper conduct.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• आप्लुत्य: having bathed / having plunged (into water)
• आप्लुत्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्लु (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled
• धर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उपस्पृश्य: having touched (water) / having performed ācamana
• उपस्पृश्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु) उप-
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• हलायुधः: Halāyudha (Balarāma; 'whose weapon is a plough')
• हलायुधः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हलायुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Halāyudha (Balarāma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid the pressures of a war narrative, the text highlights adherence to dharma through disciplined personal conduct—ritual cleanliness and self-purification as outward signs of inner restraint and righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Halāyudha (Balarāma), described as dharmātmā, bathes at that place and then performs the customary act of purification (upaspṛśya/ācamana), preparing himself in a ritually proper manner for what follows.