Shloka 2

Vṛddha-kanyā-carita and Balarāma’s Kurukṣetra Inquiry (वृद्धकन्या-चरितम् / कुरुक्षेत्रफल-प्रश्नः)

Devanagari script

तत्राप्युपस्पृश्य बले दत्त्वा दानानि चात्मवान्‌ | सारस्वतस्य धर्मात्मा मुनेस्तीर्थ जगाम ह,धर्मात्मा एवं मनस्वी बलरामजी उस तीर्थमें भी स्नान एवं दान करके सारस्वत मुनिके तीर्थमें गये

Transliteration

tatrāpy upaspṛśya bale dattvā dānāni cātmavān | sārasvatasya dharmātmā munes tīrthaṁ jagāma ha ||

Translation

അവിടെയും ബലരാമൻ ജലസ്പർശംകൊണ്ട് ശുദ്ധി വരുത്തി, ആത്മസംയമത്തോടെ ദാനങ്ങൾ നൽകി, ധർമ്മാത്മാവായി സാരസ്വത മുനിയുടെ തീർത്ഥത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി.

Word by Word

तत्रthere

अपिalso/even

उपस्पृश्यhaving bathed/touched water (performed ablution)

बलेin/at Balaka (a tīrtha/place-name) / in strength (context favors place-name)

दत्त्वाhaving given

दानानिgifts/charities

चand

आत्मवान्self-controlled

सारस्वतस्यof Sārasvata

धर्मात्माrighteous-souled

मुनेःof the sage

तीर्थम्to the sacred ford/pilgrimage-place

जगामwent

हindeed/for emphasis

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Balarāma

Sārasvata (sage)

Sārasvata-tīrtha

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 pattern: inner discipline (ātmavān), ritual purification (upaspṛśya), and generosity (dānāni) as complementary practices that sanctify one’s journey and intentions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Balarāma, continuing his pilgrimage, performs bathing/purification and gives charity at one sacred spot, then travels onward to the tīrtha connected with the sage Sārasvata.