Shloka 42
Sarasvatī-Śāpavimokṣa, Rākṣasa-Mokṣa, and Aruṇā-Tīrtha
Indra–Namuci Expiation
आगच्छच्च पुनर्मार्ग स्वमेव सरितां वरा,नरेश्वरर इस प्रकार वह स्थान जगतमें वसिष्ठापवाहके नामसे विख्यात हुआ। वसिष्ठजीको बहानेके पश्चात् सरिताओंमें श्रेष्ठ सरस्वती फिर अपने पूर्व मार्गपर ही बहने लग गयी इति श्रीमहाभारते शल्यपर्वणि गदापर्वणि बलदेवतीर्थयात्रायां सारस्वतोपाख्याने द्विचत्वारिंशोड्ध्याय:
āgacchac ca punar mārgaṃ svam eva saritāṃ varā | nareśvara, as prakāraḥ sa sthānaṃ jagati vasiṣṭhāpavāhaka-nāmnā vikhyātaṃ abhavat | vasiṣṭhajī-ko bahāne ke paścāt saritāsu śreṣṭhā sarasvatī punaḥ sva-pūrva-mārgeṇa eva vahanī lagī || iti śrīmahābhārate śalyaparvaṇi gadāparvaṇi baladevātīrthayātrāyāṃ sārasvatopākhyāne dvi-catvāriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ ||
ବସିଷ୍ଠ କହିଲେ—ହେ ସରିତାମଧ୍ୟରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠେ! ତୁମେ ପୁନର୍ବାର ନିଜ ମାର୍ଗକୁ ଫେରିଆସ। ଏହିପରି ସେ ସ୍ଥାନ ‘ବସିଷ୍ଠାପବାହ’ ନାମରେ ଜଗତରେ ପ୍ରସିଦ୍ଧ ହେଲା। ବସିଷ୍ଠଙ୍କୁ ବହାଇ ନେଇସାରି ସରସ୍ୱତୀ ପୁନର୍ବାର ନିଜ ପୂର୍ବ ଧାରାରେ ବହିଲା। ଏହିପରି ଶ୍ରୀମହାଭାରତ ଶଲ୍ୟପର୍ବର ଗଦାପର୍ବରେ ବଳଦେବ ତୀର୍ଥଯାତ୍ରାନ୍ତର୍ଗତ ସାରସ୍ୱତୋପାଖ୍ୟାନର ଦ୍ୱିଚତ୍ୱାରିଂଶ ଅଧ୍ୟାୟ ସମାପ୍ତ।
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage links moral-spiritual authority (ṛṣi Vasiṣṭha) with the sanctification of landscape: a place becomes a tīrtha through a dharmic event and remembrance. It also suggests restoration—after disturbance, the sacred order (the river’s rightful course) is re-established.
Vasiṣṭha addresses Sarasvatī, instructing her to return to her own channel. The location where Vasiṣṭha was carried away becomes famous as “Vasiṣṭhāpavāhaka,” and Sarasvatī resumes her earlier flow, concluding this chapter of the Sārasvata episode within Baladeva’s pilgrimage account.