Shloka 5
कन्दमूलफलाहार: शुष्कपर्णाशन: क्वचित् । अब्भक्ष: कतिचित्पक्षान् वायुभक्षस्तत: परम् ॥ ५ ॥
kanda-mūla-phalāhāraḥ śuṣka-parṇāśanaḥ kvacit ab-bhakṣaḥ katicit pakṣān vāyu-bhakṣas tataḥ param
In the forest of austerity, Mahārāja Pṛthu would sometimes eat tubers and roots, sometimes fruits and dry leaves. For some weeks he drank only water, and at last he lived simply by subsisting on air alone.
In Bhagavad-gītā, yogīs are advised to go to a secluded place in the forest and live alone in a sanctified spot there. By Pṛthu Mahārāja’s behavior we can understand that when he went to the forest he did not eat any cooked food sent from the city by some devotees or disciples. As soon as one takes a vow to live in the forest, he must simply eat roots, tree trunks, fruits, dried leaves or whatever nature provides in that way. Pṛthu Mahārāja strictly adopted these principles for living in the forest, and sometimes he ate nothing but dried leaves and drank nothing but a little water. Sometimes he lived on nothing but air, and sometimes he ate some fruit from the trees. In this way he lived in the forest and underwent severe austerity, especially in regards to eating. In other words, overeating is not at all recommended for one who wants to progress in spiritual life. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī also warns that too much eating and too much endeavor ( atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca ) are against the principles by which one can advance in spiritual life.
FAQs
This verse describes progressively stricter austerities—living on roots and fruits, then dry leaves, then only water, and finally only air—showing disciplined detachment undertaken for spiritual realization.
In the narrative, Śukadeva explains Pṛthu’s withdrawal from worldly rule and his steady advancement in renunciation, illustrating how a righteous king can transition toward spiritual perfection.
Adopt moderation and conscious simplicity—reduce unnecessary consumption, practice regulated habits, and use self-discipline to strengthen devotion and clarity rather than for mere display.