Shloka 38

गदायुद्ध-समारम्भः

Commencement of the Mace-Duel Proceedings

Devanagari script

सरस्वतीवाससमा कुतो रति: सरस्वतीवाससमा: कुतो गुणा: । सरस्वतीं प्राप्प दिवं गता जना: सदा स्मरिष्यन्ति नदीं सरस्वतीम्‌

Transliteration

saravatīvāsasamā kuto ratiḥ saravatīvāsasamāḥ kuto guṇāḥ | sarasvatīṃ prāpya divaṃ gatā janāḥ sadā smariṣyanti nadīṃ sarasvatīm ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: “Ở nơi nào khác có thể tìm được niềm hoan lạc sánh bằng việc cư trú bên bờ sông Sarasvatī? Ở nơi nào khác có những đức hạnh sánh được với những đức hạnh do sống tại đó mà thành? Những ai đã đến gần Sarasvatī và nhờ năng lực thanh tẩy của nàng mà đạt tới cõi trời, sẽ mãi mãi tưởng nhớ dòng sông Sarasvatī.”

Word by Word

• सरस्वतीवाससमा: equal to dwelling on the Sarasvatī (bank)
• सरस्वतीवाससमा: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सरस्वती-वास-सम
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कुतः: whence? how (could it be)?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः

• रतिः: delight, joy
• रतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सरस्वतीवाससमा: equal to dwelling on the Sarasvatī (bank)
• सरस्वतीवाससमा: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सरस्वती-वास-सम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कुतः: whence? where (else)?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः

• गुणाः: merits, virtues, excellences
• गुणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सरस्वतीम्: Sarasvatī (river)
• सरस्वतीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्राप्य: having reached, having resorted to
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• दिवम्: heaven
• दिवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (दिव)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गताः: gone, having gone
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जनाः: people, men
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• स्मरिष्यन्ति: will remember
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ
• Form: लृट् (simple future), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, Active

• नदीम्: river
• नदीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सरस्वतीम्: Sarasvatī (river)
• सरस्वतीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)
• सरस्वती नदी (Sarasvatī River)
• दिव/स्वर्ग (Heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse extols the unique spiritual and ethical value of residing near a sacred river: proximity to a tīrtha cultivates guṇa (virtue) and yields lasting puṇya, so powerful that even those who attain heaven continue to cherish and remember the Sarasvatī.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration within the Śalya Parva, the Sarasvatī is praised as a supremely sanctifying river; the statement functions as a eulogy (stuti) highlighting the joy, virtue, and heavenly merit associated with dwelling on her banks.