Shloka 40
गदायुद्ध-समारम्भः
Commencement of the Mace-Duel Proceedings
ततो मुहुर्मुहुः प्रीत्या प्रेक्षमाण: सरस्वतीम् । हयैर्युक्ते रथं शुभ्रमातिषछ्ठत परंतप:
tato muhurmuhuḥ prītyā prekṣamāṇaḥ sarasvatīm | hayairyukte rathaṁ śubhram ātiṣṭhat parantapaḥ ||
Kemudian, berulang kali, dengan sukacita penuh kasih, dia terus memandang ke arah Sungai Sarasvatī. Sesudah itu, sang pembakar musuh menaiki keretanya yang cemerlang, dipasangkan kuda-kuda.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even within a martial setting, the verse foregrounds reverence and mindful attention to sacred places: the hero’s repeated, affectionate gaze toward Sarasvatī suggests that dharmic life includes honoring sanctity and maintaining inner devotion alongside outward action.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that the hero (addressed as ‘parantapaḥ’) repeatedly looks with fondness at the Sarasvatī river and then mounts a bright horse-yoked chariot, indicating his departure or onward movement after paying respectful attention to the river.