Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 383
Sarasvatī-Śāpavimokṣa, Rākṣasa-Mokṣa, and Aruṇā-Tīrtha
Indra–Namuci Expiation
शोणितं वह कल्याणि रक्षोग्रामणिसम्मतम् | मुनिश्रेष्ठ वसिष्ठको पुनः अपनेसे दूर बहाया गया देख अमर्षशील विश्वामित्र दुःखसे अत्यन्त कुपित हो बोले--'सरिताओंमें श्रेष्ठ कल्याणमयी सरस्वती! तुम मुझे धोखा देकर फिर चली गयी
śoṇitaṁ vaha kalyāṇi rakṣogrāmaṇi-sammatam | muniśreṣṭha vasiṣṭhako punaḥ apane se dūra bahāya gaya dekh amarṣaśīla viśvāmitra duḥkhase atyanta kupita ho bole—“saritāsu śreṣṭhe kalyāṇamayī sarasvati! tvaṁ māṁ dhokā dattvā punaś calitāsi, tasmād idānīṁ jalasya sthāne raktaṁ vaha, yad rakṣasāṁ samūhasya adhikaṁ priyam asti!”
Wika ni Vasiṣṭha: “O mapalad, umagos ka ng dugo—yaong kinagigiliwan ng mga pinunò ng mga rākṣasa.” Nang muling makita na ang dakilang pantas na si Vasiṣṭha ay nadala palayo sa kanya, si Viśvāmitra na mainitin ang ulo, sugatan sa dalamhati at nag-aalab sa matinding poot, ay nagsalita: “O Sarasvatī, pinakadakila sa mga ilog at mapagkalinga! Dinaya mo ako at muli kang lumayo; kaya mula ngayon, sa halip na tubig, umagos ka ng dugo—yaong pinakamamahal ng mga pulutong ng rākṣasa!”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The episode warns that uncontrolled anger and ego can corrupt spiritual intent, leading one to weaponize sacred forces (like a revered river) for harmful ends—an ethical lapse contrary to dharma.
Viśvāmitra, enraged on seeing Vasiṣṭha carried away beyond his reach, addresses the river Sarasvatī and commands her to flow with blood instead of water—something said to delight the rākṣasas—revealing the intensity of his wrath and the peril of misdirected ascetic power.
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