Plaksha-Prasravaṇa means “the spring of the Plaksha tree”. It is the sacred source of the Sarasvatī river, on the slopes of Himavat (the Himālaya). The Sarasvatī springs from the foot of a Plaksha tree (the pākara fig, Ficus infectoria) at this high place.

The source of the Sarasvatī

Plaksha-Prasravaṇa is the headwater of the Sarasvatī. From this mountain source the great river comes down to bless the plains of Bhāratavarsha. The place lies on the Himavat range, and one must climb up to it from the valley.

Balarāma at the source

Balarāma came to this place at the end of his pilgrimage along the Sarasvatī. He had visited all the tīrthas of the river, from Prabhāsa westward along its course, and then went up to its source. At Plaksha-Prasravaṇa he looked back over the whole length of the river and sang a stotra (hymn of praise) to the Sarasvatī:

“What joy equals dwelling on the Sarasvatī? What quality equals the Sarasvatī? Those who reach the Sarasvatī go to svarga (heaven). The Sarasvatī is remembered in all times. The Sarasvatī is the most sacred of all rivers. The Sarasvatī gives good fortune to all the worlds. Those who reach the Sarasvatī do not remember their great pāpa (sins). Neither in this life nor in the next do they suffer.”

After he had sung this stotra and looked over the whole sacred river from its source, Balarāma came down. He climbed into his chariot at the Kārapavana tīrtha and went back to Kurukshetra to see the club fight (gadāyuddha) between Bhīma and Duryodhana.

Sources

Mahābhārata, Śalya Parva, Chapter 54