Shloka 1

Vasiṣṭhāpavāha: Sarasvatī’s Diversion and Viśvāmitra’s Curse (वसिष्ठापवाहः)

Devanagari script

०: ड-शक्ाझ एकचत्वारिशो< ध्याय: अवाकीर्ण और यायात तीर्थकी महिमाके प्रसंगमें दाल्भ्यकी कथा और ययातिके यज्ञका वर्णन वैशम्पायन उवाच ब्रह्मययोनेरवाकीर्ण जगाम यदुनन्दन: । यत्र दाल्भ्यो बको राजन्नाश्रमस्थो महातपा:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | brahmayoner avākīrṇāj jagāma yadunandanaḥ | yatra dālbhyō bako rājann āśramastho mahātapāḥ | krodhena mahatāviṣṭo dharmātmā vai pratāpavān |

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: О царь, отраду Яду (Баларама), покинув священный брод, дарующий состояние брахмана, направился к тиртхе, именуемой Авакирна (Avākīrṇa). Там, в своей обители, жил Бака, сын Далбхи — великий подвижник, праведный и могучий; однажды, охваченный яростным гневом, он совершил суровый обряд, навлекший погибель на царство Дхритараштры.

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaishampayana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ब्रह्मयोनिः: Brahmayoni (a tīrtha; lit. 'source of brahman')
• ब्रह्मयोनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मयोनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अवाकीर्णम्: Avākīrṇa (name of a tīrtha)
• अवाकीर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवाकीर्ण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• जगाम: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यदुनन्दनः: descendant/delight of the Yadus (Balarāma)
• यदुनन्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदुनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र

• दाल्भ्यः: Dālbhy(a) (patronymic/sage)
• दाल्भ्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाल्भ्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बकः: Baka (name of a sage)
• बकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• आश्रमस्थः: dwelling in an āśrama
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आश्रमस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महातपाः: of great austerity
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातपस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रोधेन: by/with anger
• क्रोधेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महता: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• आविष्टः: possessed/overcome
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-विश्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past Passive Participle (क्त)

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• प्रतापवान्: mighty, valorous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Balarāma
• Yadu dynasty (Yadus)
• Brahmayoni tīrtha
• Avākīrṇa tīrtha
• Dālbhi
• Baka (son of Dālbhi)
• Āśrama (hermitage)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical danger of krodha (anger): even a dharmic ascetic with great tapas can, when overtaken by wrath, direct spiritual power toward harm, with consequences extending beyond the individual to an entire polity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues the account of Balarāma’s pilgrimage: after leaving the Brahmayoni tīrtha, he reaches Avākīrṇa, a place associated with the ascetic Baka (son of Dālbhi), whose anger-driven act is recalled as part of the tīrtha’s remembered history.