Shloka 1
Saptasārasvata-tīrtha-prasaṅgaḥ | The Saptasārasvata Pilgrimage Account and the Maṅkaṇaka Narrative
ऑपन--माजल छा जज सप्तत्रिशो5 ध्याय: विनशन, सुभूमिक, गन्धर्व, गर्गस्रोत, शंख, द्वैतवन तथा नैमिषेय आदि तीर्थोमें होते | हुए बलभद्रजीका सप्त सारस्वततीर्थमें प्रवेश वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो विनशनं राजन् जगामाथ हलायुध: । शूद्राभीरान् प्रति द्वेषाद् यत्र नष्टा सरस्वती
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: tato vinaśanaṃ rājan jagāmātha halāyudhaḥ | śūdrābhīrān prati dveṣād yatra naṣṭā sarasvatī ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Kemudian, wahai raja, Halāyudha (Balarāma) pergi ke Vinaśana—tempat Sungai Sarasvatī lenyap—didorong oleh kebencian terhadap kaum Śūdra dan Ābhīra. Rangkap ini menggambarkan ziarahnya sebagai perjalanan suci sekaligus pengunduran diri yang sarat beban moral daripada pertikaian sosial, menegaskan bahawa kecenderungan batin (seperti benci) boleh mengiringi bahkan amalan keagamaan yang zahir.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse suggests that sacred action (pilgrimage to a tīrtha) does not automatically purify one’s motive: inner dispositions like dveṣa (aversion/hatred) can accompany religious conduct. It invites reflection on aligning outward dharmic practice with inward ethical intention.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Balarāma (Halāyudha) proceeds to the tīrtha called Vinaśana, identified as the place where the Sarasvatī ‘disappears.’ His movement is linked to hostility toward the Śūdras and Ābhīras, indicating a socially charged context behind his journey.