Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

इन्द्रतीर्थेति विख्यात॑ त्रिषु लोकेषु मानद । तस्या जिज्ञासनार्थ स भगवान्‌ पाकशासन:

Transliteration

indratīrtheti vikhyātaṃ triṣu lokeṣu mānada | tasyā jijñāsanārthaṃ sa bhagavān pākaśāsanaḥ ||

Translation

മാനദാ! ‘ഇന്ദ്രതീർത്ഥം’ എന്ന പേരിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധമായ ആ തീർത്ഥം മൂന്നു ലോകങ്ങളിലും ഖ്യാതമാണ്. അതിനെക്കുറിച്ച് അറിയുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിച്ച് ഭഗവാൻ പാകശാസനൻ (ഇന്ദ്രൻ) സ്വയം അന്വേഷിക്കാനായി പുറപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

इन्द्रतीर्थthe (place called) Indra-tirtha

इतिthus; as

विख्यातम्well-known; renowned

त्रिषुin the three

लोकेषुworlds

मानदO giver of honor (address)

तस्याःof it/of her

जिज्ञासनार्थम्for the purpose of inquiry

सःhe

भगवान्the blessed lord

पाकशासनःIndra (Punisher of Pāka)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Indratīrtha

Indra (Pākaśāsana)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic attitude toward sacred places: true understanding comes through humble inquiry (jijñāsā). Even a great deity like Indra seeks knowledge by asking, implying that reverence is joined with the discipline of learning.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana introduces a celebrated pilgrimage site called Indratīrtha, famed in all three worlds, and states that Indra (Pākaśāsana) himself wished to know its significance and therefore undertook inquiry about it.