Shloka 42
कुमाराभिषेकप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Kumāra (Skanda) Investiture at Sarasvatī
इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत शल्यपर्वके अन्तर्गत गदापव॑नें बलदेवजीकी तीर्थयात्राके प्रसंगमें सारस्वतोपाख्यानविषयक बयालीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ,“शक्र! महर्षियोंने इस अरुणाके जलको परम पवित्र बना दिया है। इस तीर्थमें पहले ही गुप्तरूपसे उसका आगमन हो चुका था, फिर सरस्वतीने निकट आकर अरुणादेवीको अपने जलसे आप्लावित कर दिया ।। सरस्वत्यारुणायाश्न पुण्यो5यं संगमो महान् | इह त्वं यज देवेन्द्र दद दानान्यनेकश:
śakra! maharṣibhir asyā aruṇāyāḥ jalaṃ parama-pavitraṃ kṛtam. asmin tīrthe pūrvam eva gupta-rūpeṇa tasyā āgamanam abhavat; tataḥ sarasvatī samīpam āgatya aruṇā-devīṃ svajalena āplāvitavatī. sarasvatyā aruṇāyāś ca puṇyo 'yaṃ saṅgamo mahān | iha tvaṃ yaja devendra dada dānāny anekaśaḥ ||
Vasiṣṭha said: “O Śakra, the sages have made the waters of this Aruṇā supremely pure. In this sacred ford her coming had already occurred in a hidden manner; then Sarasvatī drew near and flooded the goddess Aruṇā with her own waters. This is a great and holy confluence of Sarasvatī and Aruṇā. Here, O lord of the gods, perform worship and offer many gifts.”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
Sacred places become especially purifying through the presence and austerity of sages; one should respond to such sanctity with worship (yajña) and generosity (dāna), turning reverence into ethical action.
Vasiṣṭha addresses Indra, explaining that the Aruṇā’s waters have been made supremely holy by sages and that Sarasvatī has joined and inundated Aruṇā, creating a powerful confluence-tīrtha; he urges Indra to worship there and give abundant gifts.