Shloka 50

Indratīrtha–Ādityatīrtha: Balarāma’s Ritual Bathing, Dāna, and Sacred-Historical Recollections

Devanagari script

साब्रवीत्‌ पृथुताम्राक्षी देवं सप्तर्षिसंसदि । भगवान्‌ यदि मे प्रीतस्तीर्थ स्पादिदमद्भुतम्‌

Transliteration

sābravīt pṛthutāmrākṣī devaṃ saptarṣi-saṃsadi | bhagavān yadi me prītas tīrtha-spād idam adbhutam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Then the broad, copper-red–eyed lady addressed the god in the assembly of the Seven Ṛṣis: “O Blessed Lord, if you are pleased with me, then let this wondrous sacred ford (tīrtha) arise here at your touch.”

Word by Word

साshe

अब्रवीत्said/spoke

पृथु-ताम्र-अक्षीthe broad-copper-eyed (lady)

देवम्to the god / the deity

सप्त-ऋषि-संसदिin the assembly of the seven sages

भगवान्the Blessed Lord

यदिif

मेof me / my

प्रीतःpleased

तीर्थात्from the sacred ford/place of pilgrimage

पातुmay (he) protect / let (him) protect

इदम्this

अद्भुतम्wonderful, marvelous

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

pṛthutāmrākṣī (a woman, unnamed here)

deva (the god, unnamed here)

Saptarṣi (the Seven Ṛṣis)

tīrtha (sacred place/pilgrimage ford)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic idea that sincere devotion and divine favor can sanctify a place for the welfare of many; a tīrtha is not merely geography but a moral-spiritual ‘crossing’ established through grace and righteous intention.

What is happening in the narrative?

A woman described as pṛthutāmrākṣī speaks before the Seven Ṛṣis’ assembly, addressing a god and requesting a boon: if he is pleased with her, a marvelous tīrtha should manifest there through his touch or presence.