Shloka 8
Vṛddha-kanyā-carita and Balarāma’s Kurukṣetra Inquiry (वृद्धकन्या-चरितम् / कुरुक्षेत्रफल-प्रश्नः)
तस्य तर्पयतो देवान् सरस्वत्यां महात्मन: । समीपतो महाराज सोपातिष्ठत भाविनी,महाराज! एक दिन, जब महात्मा दधीच सरस्वती नदीमें देवताओंका तर्पण कर रहे थे, वह माननीय अप्सरा उनके पास जाकर खड़ी हो गयी
tasya tarpayato devān sarasvatyāṁ mahātmanaḥ | samīpato mahārāja sopātiṣṭhata bhāvinī ||
Vaiśampāyana said: While that great-souled sage was offering libations to the gods on the banks of the Sarasvatī, a radiant and noble apsaras came near and stood close by him, O king. The scene frames a moment where disciplined ritual duty (tarpana) draws the attention of celestial beings, highlighting the moral force attributed to austerity and sacred observance.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical-religious idea that faithful performance of sacred duties—here, tarpana to the gods—possesses spiritual potency and attracts divine attention, presenting disciplined observance as a form of dharma.
A great sage is performing offerings to the gods at the Sarasvatī. At that moment, a radiant apsaras comes close and stands near him, setting up a forthcoming interaction.