Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

नैमिषारण्यवासियोंके उस द्वादशवर्षीय यज्ञमें वे महाभाग ऋषि दीर्घकालतक रहे। जब वह यज्ञ समाप्त हो गया तब बहुत-से महर्षि तीर्थसेवनके लिये वहाँ आये ।। ऋषीणां बहुलत्वात्तु सरस्वत्या विशाम्पते । तीर्थानि नगरायन्ते कूले वै दक्षिणे तदा,प्रजानाथ! ऋषियोंकी संख्या अधिक होनेके कारण सरस्वतीके दक्षिण तटपर जितने तीर्थ थे, वे सभी नगरोंके समान प्रतीत होने लगे

Transliteration

ṛṣīṇāṃ bahulatvāt tu sarasvatyā viśāṃpate | tīrthāni nagarāyante kūle vai dakṣiṇe tadā ||

Translation

ข้าแต่ผู้เป็นนายแห่งประชา! ด้วยเหล่าฤๅษีมีจำนวนมากยิ่ง ในกาลนั้น ทิรถะทั้งหลายบนฝั่งใต้แห่งแม่น้ำสรัสวตีจึงแลดูประหนึ่งนคร

Word by Word

ऋषीणाम्of sages

बहुलत्वात्because of abundance (great number)

तुbut/indeed

सरस्वत्याःof (the river) Sarasvatī

विशाम्of the people/subjects

पतेO lord

तीर्थानिthe sacred fords/pilgrimage places

नगरायन्तेappear like cities / become city-like

कूलेon the bank

वैindeed/verily

दक्षिणेon the southern (bank)

तदाthen/at that time

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Sarasvatī (river)

tīrthas (pilgrimage sites)

Ṛ

ṛṣis (sages)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how collective dharmic activity—many sages gathering for sacrifice and pilgrimage—can transform a landscape into a living center of sanctity, suggesting that holiness is intensified by sustained practice, community, and presence.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a long sacrificial session, numerous sages assemble for tīrtha-sevana (pilgrimage). Their sheer numbers make the Sarasvatī’s southern-bank pilgrimage spots look like bustling towns.