Shloka 32

Baka Dālbhya at Avakīrṇa-tīrtha: Rāṣṭra-kṣaya and Release through Prasāda (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 40)

Devanagari script

अददान्मुदितो राजन्‌ पूजयित्वा द्विजोत्तमान्‌ | ययौ राजंस्ततो रामो बकस्याश्रममन्तिकात्‌ । यत्र तेपे तपस्तीव्रं दाल्भ्यो बक इति श्रुति:

Transliteration

adadān mudito rājan pūjayitvā dvijottamān | yayau rājaṃs tato rāmo bakasyāśramam antikāt | yatra tepe tapas tīvraṃ dālbhyō baka iti śrutiḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana sprach: „O König, voller Freude spendete Rāma Gaben und zog, nachdem er die Vornehmsten unter den Zweimalgeborenen gebührend geehrt hatte, aus der Nähe von Bakas Einsiedelei fort. Der Überlieferung nach übte Dālbhyā Baka dort strenge Askese.“

Word by Word

अददात्gave

मुदितःgladdened, delighted

राजन्O king

पूजयित्वाhaving honored

द्विजोत्तमान्the best of the twice-born (brahmins)

ययौwent

राजन्O king

ततःthen, thereafter

रामःRama (Parashurama)

बकस्यof Baka

आश्रमम्hermitage

अन्तिकात्from the vicinity

यत्रwhere

तेपेperformed austerity, did penance

तपःausterity, penance

तीव्रम्severe, intense

दाल्भ्यःDālbhyā (patronymic/descendant of Dalbha)

बकःBaka

इतिthus

श्रुतिःreport, tradition; it is heard

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Rāma (Paraśurāma/Bhārgava Rāma)

Baka (sage)

Dālbhyā Baka

dvijottamāḥ (brāhmaṇas)

Baka’s āśrama (hermitage)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharma through two linked virtues: dāna (generous giving) and pūjā (reverent honoring) of worthy brāhmaṇas, followed by remembrance of tapas as a source of spiritual authority. Ethical excellence is shown not only in power or travel, but in respectful conduct and support of ascetic life.

What is happening in the narrative?

After giving gifts and honoring eminent brāhmaṇas, Rāma departs from near Baka’s hermitage. The narrator adds a traditional note that this is the place where the sage Baka of the Dālbhyā lineage practiced intense austerities.