Shloka 90

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

Devanagari script

स्निग्धत्वादोषधीनां च भूमेश्नव जनमेजय । जानन्ति सिद्धा राजेन्द्र नष्टामपि सरस्वतीम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | snigdhatvād oṣadhīnāṃ ca bhūmeḥ snava janamejaya | jānanti siddhā rājendra naṣṭām api sarasvatīm ||

Translation

বৈশম্পায়ন বললেন— রাজেন্দ্র জনমেজয়! ঔষধি-লতা-তৃণের স্নিগ্ধতা ও ভূমির আর্দ্রতা দেখে সিদ্ধপুরুষেরা দৃষ্টির আড়ালে লীন সরস্বতীকেও সূক্ষ্ম লক্ষণে চিনে নেন।

Word by Word

• स्निग्धत्वात्: from/owing to the unctuousness
• स्निग्धत्वात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्निग्धत्व
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• ओषधीनाम्: of the herbs/plants
• ओषधीनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओषधि
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भूमेः: of the earth/ground
• भूमेः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• स्नवम्: moisture/dampness
• स्नवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• जनमेजय: O Janamejaya
• जनमेजय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनमेजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• जानन्ति: know/recognize
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• सिद्धाः: the perfected ones (sages)
• सिद्धाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नष्टाम्: vanished/hidden
• नष्टाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Siddhas
• Sarasvatī (river)
• Oṣadhīs (herbs/plants)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sacred reality may be concealed from ordinary sight; those with spiritual accomplishment discern it through subtle indicators in nature (lush plants, moist earth). The verse highlights refined perception and inner purity as means to recognize holiness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana explains to King Janamejaya that siddhas can identify the hidden Sarasvatī by observing environmental signs—especially the vitality of herbs and the dampness of the ground—affirming the sanctity of the region even when the river is not visibly present.