Shloka 32

Trita in the Well (Udapāna-kathā) — Balarāma’s Tīrtha Observances

Devanagari script

स पन्था: प्रब॒भौ राजन्‌ सर्वस्यैव सुखावह: । स्वर्गोपमस्तदा वीर नराणां तत्र गच्छताम्‌ | नित्यप्रमुदितोपेत: स्वादुभक्ष्य: शुभान्वित:

Transliteration

sa panthāḥ prababhau rājan sarvasyaiva sukhāvahaḥ | svargopamas tadā vīra narāṇāṃ tatra gacchatām | nityapramuditopetaḥ svādubhakṣyaḥ śubhānvitaḥ |

Translation

বৈশম্পায়ন বললেন— হে রাজন! সেই পথ সকলের জন্য সুখদায়ক হয়ে দীপ্তিমান ছিল। সেখানে গমনকারী বীর ও মানুষের কাছে তা স্বর্গসম মনে হত—চির-আনন্দে ভরা, সুস্বাদু ভোজ্যে পরিপূর্ণ এবং শুভ ফলদায়ী।

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'panthāḥ', 'definition': 'road, path, route'}, {'term': 'prababhau', 'definition': 'shone forth

• appeared splendid/manifest'}, {'term': 'rājan', 'definition': 'O king (vocative address)'}, {'term': 'sarvasya eva', 'definition': 'for everyone indeed'}, {'term': 'sukhāvahaḥ', 'definition': 'bringing happiness

• conducive to comfort'}, {'term': 'svargopamaḥ', 'definition': 'comparable to heaven

• heaven-like'}, {'term': 'tadā', 'definition': 'then, at that time'}, {'term': 'vīra', 'definition': 'O hero

• brave one (vocative)'}, {'term': 'narāṇām', 'definition': 'of men/people'}, {'term': 'tatra gacchatām', 'definition': 'of those going there

• of travellers on that route'}, {'term': 'nitya', 'definition': 'constant, continual'}, {'term': 'pramudita', 'definition': 'gladdened, joyful'}, {'term': 'upetaḥ', 'definition': 'endowed with

• accompanied by'}, {'term': 'svādu-bhakṣyaḥ', 'definition': 'having sweet/tasty food

• providing delicious fare'}, {'term': 'śubhānvitaḥ', 'definition': 'attended by auspiciousness

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• King (Janamejaya, implied addressee)
• panthāḥ (the road/path)
• svarga (heaven, as comparison)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how an environment shaped by auspicious conditions—joy, nourishment, and good omens—can make even a difficult journey feel ‘heaven-like.’ Ethically, it underscores the value of providing safe passage and hospitality so that people experience well-being rather than fear or deprivation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes to the king a particular route taken by travellers/warriors. That road appears radiant and exceptionally pleasant: people moving along it feel constant cheer, find tasty food, and encounter auspicious results, as though they were travelling through heaven.