Shloka 15

Sārasvata–Dadhīca Upākhyāna at Sarasvatī Tīrtha

Balarāma’s Pilgrimage Context

Devanagari script

गच्छन्नेव स धर्मात्मा समुद्रं सरितां पतिम्‌

Transliteration

gacchann eva sa dharmātmā samudraṃ saritāṃ patim

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Khi vẫn tiếp tục lên đường, người có tâm hồn chính trực ấy tiến về biển cả, chúa tể của muôn sông—bước đi kiên định, thuận theo dharma.

Word by Word

• गच्छन्: going
• गच्छन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (गच्छ्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त, परस्मैपदी)

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (स)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled (one)
• धर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समुद्रम्: the ocean
• समुद्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सरिताम्: of rivers
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• पतिम्: lord/master
• पतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• samudra (the ocean)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharma as an inner disposition: a dharmātmā advances with steady resolve toward his goal, suggesting that righteous character guides action even amid larger events.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator states that a righteous person is continuing his journey and is heading toward the ocean, described poetically as the lord of rivers.