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Shloka 2

Avadhūta’s Teachers: Python, Ocean, Moth, Bee, Elephant, Deer, Fish—and Piṅgalā’s Song of Detachment

ग्रासं सुमृष्टं विरसं महान्तं स्तोकमेव वा । यद‍ृच्छयैवापतितं ग्रसेदाजगरोऽक्रिय: ॥ २ ॥

grāsaṁ su-mṛṣṭaṁ virasaṁ mahāntaṁ stokam eva vā yadṛcchayaivāpatitaṁ grased ājagaro ’kriyaḥ

Dem Beispiel der Python folgend, soll man materielle Anstrengungen aufgeben und zur Erhaltung des Lebens die Nahrung annehmen, die von selbst kommt — ob schmackhaft oder fade, reichlich oder gering.

ग्रासम्a morsel (of food)
ग्रासम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootग्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
सु-मृष्टम्well-cleaned/polished (well-prepared)
सु-मृष्टम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसु + मृष्ट (मृज् धातु → मृष्ट, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमास: अव्ययीभाव (सु- उपसर्ग/अव्यय + मृष्ट); भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ग्रासम् इति विशेषण
विरसम्tasteless
विरसम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवि-रस (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमास: तत्पुरुष (विगतः रसः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ग्रासम् इति विशेषण
महान्तम्large
महान्तम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ग्रासम् इति विशेषण
स्तोकम्small, little
स्तोकम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्तोक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ग्रासम् इति विशेषण (alternative)
एवindeed/just
एव:
Nipata (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण (emphasis particle)
वाor
वा:
Nipata (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्प (disjunctive particle)
यदृच्छयाby chance, spontaneously
यदृच्छया:
Hetu/Instrument (हेतु/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootयदृच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन; अव्ययार्थे (adverbial use)
एवonly/indeed
एव:
Nipata (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण
आपतितम्that has come (to one), obtained
आपतितम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootआ-पत् (धातु) → आपतित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ग्रासम् इति विशेषण
ग्रसेत्should swallow/eat
ग्रसेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootग्रस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
आजगरःa python
आजगरः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootआजगर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
अक्रियःinactive, without exertion
अक्रियः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअ-क्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; आजगरः इति विशेषण
A
Avadhūta (Dattātreya)
K
King Yadu

FAQs

In this verse, ajagara-vṛtti means not anxiously striving for food or comfort, but accepting whatever comes naturally—whether good or bad—while remaining peaceful and free from fruitive agitation.

Because the teaching emphasizes freedom from compulsive material endeavor and anxiety; the sage maintains inner spiritual activity (remembrance and realization) while avoiding restless, desire-driven action.

Practice contentment and reduce unnecessary craving: do your essential duties calmly, but stop obsessing over outcomes; accept gains and losses with steadiness and keep spiritual priorities—bhakti, japa, and sādhana—at the center.