Shloka 55

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

Devanagari script

ततस्ता: सहिता: सर्वा भूय: पितरमन्रुवन्‌

Transliteration

tatas tāḥ sahitāḥ sarvā bhūyaḥ pitaram anvruvan | “tavaiva sevāyāṃ tatparāḥ santaḥ tvat-samīpe vayaṃ sthāsyāmaḥ | candramā asmābhiḥ saha na tiṣṭhati | sa tava vacanaṃ nānuvartata” iti ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Da traten all jene Jungfrauen, zusammengekommen, abermals zu ihrem Vater und sagten: „Wir werden in deiner Nähe bleiben, dir in Hingabe dienend. Der Mond weilt nicht bei uns; er hat dein Wort nicht befolgt.“

Word by Word

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• ताः: those (women)
• ताः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• सहिताः: together/assembled
• सहिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• भूयः: again/further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अन्रुवन्: they said/spoke (to him)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• the maidens (kanyāḥ)
• their father (pitā)
• Candramā (the Moon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma through steadfast filial service and truthful communication: the maidens choose to remain devoted to their father and honestly report that Candramā did not honor the instruction, implying that authority and promises carry moral weight.

What is happening in the narrative?

All the maidens return together to their father and declare their intention to stay near him in service, while informing him that Candramā is not staying with them and has not followed the father’s directive.