Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

ऑपन--माजल छा जज सप्तत्रिशो5 ध्याय: विनशन

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: tato vinaśanaṃ rājan jagāmātha halāyudhaḥ | śūdrābhīrān prati dveṣād yatra naṣṭā sarasvatī ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Rồi, tâu đại vương, Halāyudha (Balarāma) đi đến Vinaśana—nơi sông Sarasvatī biến mất—vì lòng chán ghét đối với các Śūdra và Ābhīra. Câu kệ đặt cuộc hành hương của ngài vừa là chuyến đi linh thiêng, vừa là sự rút lui mang sắc thái đạo lý khỏi xung đột xã hội, cho thấy những khuynh hướng nội tâm (như thù ghét) có thể đi kèm cả những hành vi bề ngoài tôn giáo.

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaishampayana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular

• ततः: then/from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• विनशनम्: Vinaśana (a place/pilgrimage spot)
• विनशनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनशन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• जगाम: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular

• अथ: then/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• हलायुधः: he whose weapon is a plough (Balarama)
• हलायुधः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हलायुध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शूद्राभीरान्: Śūdras and Ābhīras
• शूद्राभीरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्राभीर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रति: towards/against
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• द्वेषात्: from hatred/owing to hatred
• द्वेषात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वेष
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र

• नष्टा: vanished/lost
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्
• Form: kta (past passive participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सरस्वती: Sarasvatī (river)
• सरस्वती: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Halāyudha (Balarāma)
• Vinaśana
• Sarasvatī
• Śūdras
• Ābhīras

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse suggests that sacred action (pilgrimage to a tīrtha) does not automatically purify one’s motive: inner dispositions like dveṣa (aversion/hatred) can accompany religious conduct. It invites reflection on aligning outward dharmic practice with inward ethical intention.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Balarāma (Halāyudha) proceeds to the tīrtha called Vinaśana, identified as the place where the Sarasvatī ‘disappears.’ His movement is linked to hostility toward the Śūdras and Ābhīras, indicating a socially charged context behind his journey.