Shloka 18
Saptasārasvata-tīrtha-prasaṅgaḥ | The Saptasārasvata Pilgrimage Account and the Maṅkaṇaka Narrative
तत्र गत्वा महाराज बल: श्वेतानुलेपन: । विधिवद्धि धन दत्त्वा मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम्,महाराज! वहाँ जाकर श्वेतचन्दनचर्चित, नीलाम्बरधारी महायशस्वी बलरामजी विशुद्ध अन्त करणवाले महर्षियोंको विधिपूर्वक धन देकर ब्राह्मणोंको नाना प्रकारके भक्ष्य-भोज्य पदार्थ समर्पित करके वहाँसे शंखतीर्थमें चले गये
tatra gatvā mahārāja balaḥ śvetānulepanaḥ | vidhivaddhi dhanaṃ dattvā munīnāṃ bhāvitātmanām ||
Vaiśampāyana nói: “Hỡi Đại vương, Bala (Balarāma), thân xoa đàn hương trắng, đã đến nơi ấy và theo đúng nghi lễ mà ban phát tài vật cho các bậc ẩn tu có tâm hồn thanh tịnh, đã tự rèn luyện.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.
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.