Shloka 29
Sarasvatī-Śāpavimokṣa, Rākṣasa-Mokṣa, and Aruṇā-Tīrtha
Indra–Namuci Expiation
राजन्! तदनन्तर ऋषिश्रेष्ठ विश्वामित्रकों अपने तटपर जप और होम करते देख सरिताओंमें श्रेष्ठ सरस्वतीने सोचा, यही अच्छा अवसर है, फिर तो उस नदीने पूर्व-तटको तोड़कर उसे अपने वेगसे बहाना आरम्भ किया ।। तेन कूलापहारेण मैत्रावरुणिरौहाुत । उहामान: स तुष्टाव तदा राजन् सरस्वतीम्,उस बहते हुए किनारेके साथ मित्रावरुणके पुत्र वसिष्ठजी भी बहने लगे। राजन! बहते समय वसिष्ठजी सरस्वतीकी स्तुति करने लगे---
rājan! tadanantaraṃ ṛṣiśreṣṭhaṃ viśvāmitraṃ svatīre japa-homa-parāyaṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā saritāṃ śreṣṭhā sarasvatī cintayāmāsa—“eṣa eva śubho’vasaraḥ” iti. tataḥ sā nadī pūrva-kūlaṃ bhittvā sva-vegena taṃ vahitum ārabdhavatī. tena kūlāpahāreṇa maitrāvaruṇir vasiṣṭhaḥ ūhāyamānaḥ sa tadā, rājan, sarasvatīm astaut. tasmin kūle pravāhamāne maitrāvaruṇi-putro vasiṣṭho’pi pravāhena nīyamānaḥ sarasvatyāḥ stutiṃ cakāra.
O King, thereafter the river Sarasvatī—foremost among streams—saw the best of sages, Viśvāmitra, engaged on her bank in japa and sacrificial offerings. Thinking, “This is the right moment,” she broke her eastern embankment and began to sweep it away with her own force. By that tearing away of the bank, Vasiṣṭha, the son of Mitra and Varuṇa, was carried along with the collapsing shore. As he was being borne downstream, O King, he praised Sarasvatī—responding not with anger but with reverent speech, showing how a sage meets sudden harm with restraint and devotion rather than retaliation.
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when harmed by sudden external forces, the disciplined person responds with self-control and reverence rather than reactive hostility; Vasiṣṭha meets danger by praising Sarasvatī, modeling steadiness of mind and ethical restraint.
Sarasvatī sees Viśvāmitra performing japa and homa on her bank, decides it is an opportune moment, breaks the eastern bank and sweeps it away; Vasiṣṭha, caught with the collapsing shore and carried by the current, praises Sarasvatī while being borne along.