Shloka 26

Adhyaya 5 — Balarama's Pilgrimage

Sanskrit

पञ्चानामेकपत्नीत्वमित्येतत्कथितं तव ।

श्रूयतां बलदेवोऽपि यथा यातः सरस्वतीम् ॥

Transliteration

pañcānām ekapatnītvam ity etat kathitaṃ tava | śrūyatāṃ baladevo ’pi yathā yātaḥ sarasvatīm ||

Translation

ดังนี้เราได้กล่าวถึงทั้งห้าผู้มีชายาเพียงหนึ่งแล้ว บัดนี้จงฟังด้วยว่า พระพลเทวะก็เสด็จไปยังแม่น้ำสรัสวตีอย่างไร.

Word by Word

• pañcānām: of the five
• pañcānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• eka-patnītvam: the state of having one wife (common wifehood)
• eka-patnītvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + patnītvá (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); एकस्याः पत्नी-भावः / एकपत्नीभावः (तत्पुरुष)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-उक्त्यर्थक)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); here object of kathitam

• kathitam: told/declared
• kathitam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (धातु) + ta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative, Singular; used predicatively: 'has been told'

• tava: to you/for you
• tava: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• śrūyatām: let (it) be heard
• śrūyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); passive/impersonal sense: 'let it be heard'

• baladevaḥ: Baladeva (Balarāma)
• baladevaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: baladeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); बलः देवः (कर्मधारय)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अपि)

• yathā: how/as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/conjunction of manner (यथाशब्द)

• yātaḥ: went
• yātaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु) + ta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agreeing with baladevaḥ

• sarasvatīm: to Sarasvatī (river/goddess)
• sarasvatīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarasvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Narrator speaking to an inquirer (exact speaker names not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Baladeva (Balarāma)
• Sarasvatī (river/goddess, as referenced)

Key Themes

• Itihāsa-style narration
• Genealogical/social norms
• Pilgrimage to sacred river (tīrtha-yātrā) / sacred geography
• Narrative transition (topic shift)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse functions as a narrative hinge: after clarifying an unusual marital arrangement (five sharing one wife), the narrator redirects attention to another exemplary episode—Baladeva’s journey to Sarasvatī—suggesting that conduct, lineage, and sacred travel are to be understood through connected narratives rather than isolated facts.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Primarily within Vaṃśa/Vaṃśānucarita (genealogy and dynastic/heroic accounts), since it closes one explanatory thread about family relations and introduces a related heroic/sacred-journey episode.

What is the esoteric significance?

Sarasvatī, beyond being a river, evokes purification and sacred speech/knowledge; Baladeva’s ‘going to Sarasvatī’ can be read as movement toward śuddhi (ritual purity) and prajñā (right understanding). The transition from social order (marital arrangement) to tīrtha (sacred locus) symbolically links dharma in society with dharma grounded in sanctifying waters and wisdom.