Shloka 17
Adhyāya 152 — Bhīṣma’s Authorization for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Return to the Capital (नगरप्रवेशानुज्ञा)
भूतनाथ! स्त्री सदा स्त्रीका ही अनुसरण करती है। मेरे ऐसा करनेसे ये श्रेष्ठ सरिताएँ मेरे द्वारा सम्मानित होंगी ।।
bhūtanātha! strī sadā strīkā hī anusaraṇa karatī hai | mama etat kāraṇena ime śreṣṭhāḥ saritaḥ mayā sammānitā bhaviṣyanti || eṣā sarasvatī puṇyā nadīnām uttamā nadī | prathamā sarvasaritāṁ nadī sāgaragāminī | (yamunā narmadāṁ caiva kāverīm atha nimnagām) |
Disse Maheśvara: “Ó Senhor dos seres! A mulher sempre segue o caminho da condição feminina. Agindo eu assim, estes rios excelentes serão honrados por meu intermédio. Aqui está a sagrada Sarasvatī, a melhor entre os rios—primeira de todas as correntes, que flui até o oceano. E aqui também estão a Yamunā, a Narmadā e a Kāverī, juntamente com outros rios que descem para o mar.”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage elevates reverence for sacred rivers as a dharmic act: honoring them is presented as meritorious, with Sarasvatī singled out as preeminent among rivers that lead to the ocean.
Maheshvara speaks to “Bhūtanātha,” explaining that his action will result in the honoring of great rivers; he then identifies Sarasvatī as foremost and names other major rivers present in the sacred setting.