Shloka 7
कुमाराभिषेकप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Kumāra (Skanda) Investiture at Sarasvatī
अथागम्य महाभागास्तत् तीर्थ दारुणं तदा ६ ।।
athāgamya mahābhāgās tat tīrthaṁ dāruṇaṁ tadā | dṛṣṭvā toyaṁ sarasvatyāḥ śoṇitena pariplutam || pīyamānaṁ ca rakṣobhir bahubhir nṛpasattama ||
Disse Vaiśaṃpāyana: Então aqueles ilustres sábios chegaram àquele terrível vau sagrado. Ali viram as águas do Sarasvatī inundadas de sangue, e muitos rākṣasas a bebê-lo. A cena ressalta como a violência pode profanar até mesmo um tīrtha, transformando um lugar destinado à purificação em testemunha do colapso moral e da rapina predatória que se segue à guerra.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that unchecked violence and adharma can defile even sacred places: a tīrtha meant for purification becomes blood-filled, and predatory beings thrive there. It serves as a moral warning about the spiritual and social consequences of war.
A group of revered sages arrives at a tīrtha on the Sarasvatī and witnesses a horrific sight: the river-water is inundated with blood, and many rākṣasas are drinking it, indicating a grim aftermath of conflict and desecration.