Mahabharata 9.37.19 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 37, Shloka 19

Saptasārasvata-tīrtha-prasaṅgaḥ | The Saptasārasvata Pilgrimage Account and the Maṅkaṇaka Narrative

Devanagari script

उच्चावचांस्तथा भक्ष्यान्‌ विप्रेभ्यो विप्रदाय सः । नीलवासास्तदागच्छच्छड्खतीर्थ महायशा:

Transliteration

uccāvacāṁs tathā bhakṣyān viprebhyo vipradāya saḥ | nīlavāsās tadāgacchac chaṅkhatīrthaṁ mahāyaśāḥ ||

Translation

แล้วท่านได้มอบอาหารคาวหวานนานาชนิดแก่พราหมณ์ทั้งหลาย ครั้นแล้วผู้มีเกียรติยศยิ่งนั้น ผู้สวมอาภรณ์สีน้ำเงิน จึงออกเดินทางไปยังศังกขะ-ตีรถะ (ท่าศักดิ์สิทธิ์แห่งสังข์)

Word by Word

• {'uccāvacān': 'various, of many kinds (high and low

• diverse)', 'bhakṣyān': 'edibles

• foods to be eaten', 'tathā': 'and also

• likewise', 'viprebhyaḥ': 'to the brāhmaṇas', 'vipradāya': 'having given (as a gift) to brāhmaṇas

• after donating', 'saḥ': 'he', 'nīlavāsāḥ': 'wearing blue garments', 'tadā': 'then

• at that time', 'āgacchat': 'went

• came (towards)', 'chaṅkhatīrtham': 'to Śaṅkha-tīrtha (a sacred ford/pilgrimage spot)', 'mahāyaśāḥ': 'greatly renowned

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Balarāma
• brāhmaṇas
• ṛṣis/maharṣis (implied by context)
• Śaṅkha-tīrtha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores dharma through dāna and proper hospitality: before moving onward, one should honor worthy recipients—especially brāhmaṇas and pure-minded sages—by giving food and gifts in a lawful, respectful manner.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the famed Balarāma, described as wearing blue garments, distributes various foods and offerings to brāhmaṇas (and, by context, to sages) and then departs for the sacred place called Śaṅkha-tīrtha.