Shloka 86
Trita in the Well (Udapāna-kathā) — Balarāma’s Tīrtha Observances
महाराज! चन्द्रमा उत्तम प्रभासतीर्थमें प्रत्येक अमावास्याको स्नान करके कान्तिमान् एवं पुष्ट होते हैं ।। अतसश्चैतत् प्रजानन्ति प्रभासमिति भूमिप । प्रभां हि परमां लेभे तस्मिन्नुन्मज्ज्य चन्द्रमा:,भूमिपाल! इसीलिये सब लोग इसे प्रभासतीर्थके नामसे जानते हैं; क्योंकि उसमें गोता लगाकर चन्द्रमाने उत्कृष्ट प्रभा प्राप्त की थी
vaiśampāyana uvāca | mahārāja! candramā uttama-prabhāsatīrthe pratyekāmāvāsyāyāṃ snānaṃ kṛtvā kāntimān evaṃ puṣṭo bhavati | ataś ca etat prajānanti prabhāsam iti bhūmipa | prabhāṃ hi paramāṃ lebhe tasminn unmajjya candramāḥ |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai raja agung, Sang Bulan, dengan mandi di tīrtha Prabhāsa yang unggul pada setiap hari amāvāsyā, menjadi berseri dan subur kekuatannya. Maka, wahai penguasa bumi, orang ramai mengenal tempat itu dengan nama ‘Prabhāsa’; kerana di situlah—dengan menyelamkan diri—Bulan memperoleh sinar yang paling luhur.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the purifying and renewing power attributed to tīrthas and disciplined observances: regular sacred bathing (especially on amāvāsyā) is portrayed as restoring brilliance and strength, symbolizing moral-spiritual renewal through repeated, intentional practice.
Vaiśampāyana explains to the king why the pilgrimage site is called Prabhāsa: the Moon is said to bathe there on every new-moon day and, by immersing in that tīrtha, gains supreme radiance; the place’s name is thus linked to this famed attainment of ‘prabhā’ (splendour).