Shloka 28
Ārṣṭiṣeṇa’s Siddhi and the Tīrtha-Boons; Sindhudvīpa–Devāpi Brāhmaṇya; Viśvāmitra’s Tapas Begins
राजेन्द्र! तत्पश्चात् श्रीमान् हलधर ब्राह्मणोंसे घिरकर उस स्थानपर गये, जहाँ रुषंगुने अपना शरीर छोड़ा थ ।। रुषड्गुर्ब्राह्मिणो वृद्धस्तपोनित्यश्व॒ भारत । देहन्यासे कृतमना विचिन्त्य बहुधा तदा,भारत! बूढ़े ब्राह्मण रुषंगु सदा तपस्यामें संल्गन रहते थे। एक समय उन महातपस्वी रुषंगु मुनिने शरीर त्याग देनेका विचार करके बहुत कुछ सोचकर अपने सभी पुत्रोंको बुलाया और उनसे कहा--'मुझे पृथूदक तीर्थमें ले चलो"
vaiśampāyana uvāca | rājendra! tatpaścāt śrīmān haladharaḥ brāhmaṇaiḥ parivṛtaḥ taṃ deśaṃ jagāma yatra ṛṣaṅguḥ śarīraṃ tyaktavān | ṛṣaṅgur brāhmaṇo vṛddhas tapo-nityaś ca bhārata | deha-nyāse kṛta-manā vicintya bahudhā tadā |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Wahai raja yang terbaik! Sesudah itu, Haladhara yang mulia, dikelilingi para brāhmaṇa, pergi ke tempat brāhmaṇa tua Ṛṣaṅgu meninggalkan jasadnya. Wahai Bhārata, Ṛṣaṅgu sentiasa tekun dalam tapa. Pada ketika itu, setelah bertekad untuk meletakkan tubuhnya, dia merenung dalam pelbagai cara.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic ideal of a life grounded in tapas and deliberate self-governance: even at the end of life, a sage does not act impulsively but reflects deeply and resolves with clarity, while society (here, brāhmaṇas and revered figures) honors such a transition with reverent attention.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Balarāma (Haladhara), accompanied by brāhmaṇas, goes to the place where the aged ascetic Ṛṣaṅgu has given up his body. The verse frames Ṛṣaṅgu as a lifelong practitioner of austerity who, after much contemplation, had resolved upon deha-nyāsa (laying down the body).