Shloka 14
सरस्वतीतीर्थानुक्रमः — बलरामस्य तीर्थयात्रा
Sarasvatī Tīrtha Itinerary — Balarāma’s Pilgrimage
अपूजयन् महाभागं यथास्य पितरं तथा । महान् सौभाग्यशाली और पुण्यात्मा सभी महर्षि भी महाभाग त्रितका उनके पिताके तुल्य ही सम्मान करते थे ।।
vaiśampāyana uvāca | apūjayan mahābhāgaṃ yathāsya pitaraṃ tathā | mahān saubhāgyaśālī ca puṇyātmā ca tritā mahābhāgaḥ sarvair maharṣibhiḥ pituḥ samam eva pūjyata iti | kadācid dhi tato rājan bhrātarāv ekata-dvitau | yajñārthaṃ dhanārthaṃ ca cintayām āsatuḥ | teṣāṃ matiḥ samapadyata—tritaṃ saha nītvā yajamānānāṃ yajñān kārayāvaḥ, dakṣiṇārthaṃ bahūn paśūn prāpya mahāphalān yajñān anutiṣṭhāvaḥ, tatra ca somapānaṃ prītimanasaḥ kuryāma iti |
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。大いなる魂をもつトリタ—幸運に恵まれ徳高き者—は、すべての仙人たちから、父が受けたのと同じように敬われていた。やがて王よ、ある日、彼の二人の兄弟エカタとドヴィタが、祭祀と財について思案し始めた。彼らの心にこうした考えが起こった。「トリタを伴い、施主たちの祭を執り行おう。ダクシナーとして多くの牛を得て、果報大なる大祭を成し遂げ、その場で喜びのうちにソーマを飲もう。」
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how outwardly sacred acts (yajña, Soma rites) can be pursued with mixed motives—honor and spiritual merit on one side, wealth and gain on the other—preparing a moral contrast between true virtue (Trita’s recognized righteousness) and potentially self-serving calculation.
Trita is widely revered like his father. His brothers Ekata and Dvita then plan to take him along to perform sacrifices for patrons, obtain many cattle as fees (dakṣiṇā), conduct highly rewarding rites, and enjoy Soma—introducing their scheme and the dynamics among the three brothers.