Shloka 48
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
वन्यैर्बहुविधैर्वृक्षैः फलपुष्पप्रदैर्युतम् । पुष्पगुल्मलताकीर्ण कदलीषण्डशोभितम्
vanyair bahuvidhair vṛkṣaiḥ phalapuṣpapradair yutam | puṣpagulmalatākīrṇaṃ kadalīṣaṇḍaśobhitam ||
Vāsudeva said: “That hermitage was adorned with many kinds of wild trees, rich in fruits and flowers. It was filled everywhere with blossoms, shrubs, and creepers, and its beauty was further enhanced by groves of banana plants.”
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the āśrama as a dharmic space: abundance without violence, beauty aligned with simplicity, and a setting conducive to restraint, learning, and righteous conduct. Nature’s ordered richness mirrors the ethical ideal of harmony and self-controlled living.
Vāsudeva describes the surroundings of a hermitage, emphasizing its lush vegetation—fruit- and flower-bearing wild trees, blossoms, shrubs, creepers, and banana groves—creating a serene and auspicious environment for the events and teachings that occur there.