Shloka 27
अदृश्या गच्छ भीरु त्वं सरस्वति मरुन् प्रति । अपुण्य एष भवतु देशस्त्यक्तस्त्वया शुभे
adṛśyā gaccha bhīru tvaṁ sarasvati marūn prati | apuṇya eṣa bhavatu deśas tyaktas tvayā śubhe ||
Utathya, yang terunggul antara kaum dwija, berkata kepada sungai Sarasvatī: “Wahai yang gentar, wahai Sarasvatī yang auspisius—pergilah tanpa kelihatan menuju tanah-tanah gurun. Biarlah wilayah ini, yang ditinggalkan olehmu, menjadi negeri yang tandus daripada pahala.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic idea of sacred ecology: a land’s purity and prosperity depend on the sustaining presence of sacred forces (here, the Sarasvatī). When that presence is withdrawn—especially through a powerful ascetic’s pronouncement—the region becomes ‘apuṇya,’ signaling moral and ritual decline alongside physical barrenness.
Utathya, described as a leading brāhmaṇa, addresses Sarasvatī directly and commands her to proceed invisibly toward the Maru (desert). He further declares that the land she leaves behind should become impure/without merit, explaining why the area turns barren once the river departs.