Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

तत्र गत्वा महाराज बल: श्वेतानुलेपन: । विधिवद्धि धन दत्त्वा मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम्‌

Transliteration

tatra gatvā mahārāja balaḥ śvetānulepanaḥ | vidhivaddhi dhanaṃ dattvā munīnāṃ bhāvitātmanām ||

Translation

وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا— اے مہاراج! وہاں جا کر سفید چندن سے ملبوس بال (بلرام) نے رسم کے مطابق پاکیزہ نفس مُنیوں کو دھن (مال) دان کیا۔

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• गत्वा: having gone
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

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

• बलः: Bala (Balarama)
• बलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (बलराम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्वेतानुलेपनः: smeared with white sandal-paste
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेतानुलेपन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विधिवत्: according to rule, duly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत्

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• धनम्: wealth, money
• धनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दत्त्वा: having given
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• मुनीनाम्: of/unto the sages
• मुनीनाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• भावितात्मनाम्: of those whose selves are purified/controlled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भावितात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Mahārāja (Janamejaya, implied addressee)
• Balarāma (Bala)
• Munis (sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic conduct through vidhivat dāna—giving in a prescribed, respectful manner to worthy recipients (self-disciplined sages). Ethical emphasis falls on purity of intention, proper procedure, and honoring spiritual exemplars.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Balarāma arrives at a sacred place, adorned with white sandal paste, and performs a proper act of gifting wealth to purified sages—an episode consistent with pilgrimage and ritual observance occurring alongside the wider war-time narrative of the Śalya Parva.