Shloka 23

Omens and Consolation after Loss; Reaffirmation of the Saindhava Punishment Vow (उत्पात-दर्शनम्, आश्वासन-वाक्यानि, प्रतिज्ञा-स्थैर्यम्)

Devanagari script

पज्चगज्जासु सा पुण्या कन्या वेतसकेषु च । तपोविशेषैर्बहुभि: कर्षयद्‌ देहमात्मन:,उस पवित्र कन्याने पंचगंगामें तथा वेतसवनमें बहुत-सी भिन्न-भिन्न तपस्याओंद्वारा अपने शरीरको अत्यन्त दुर्बल कर दिया

Transliteration

pañcagaṅgāsu sā puṇyā kanyā vetasakeṣu ca | tapoviśeṣair bahubhiḥ karṣayad deham ātmanaḥ ||

Translation

Nārada said: That virtuous maiden, dwelling at the sacred confluence called Pañcagaṅgā and also in the Vetasa-groves, undertook many distinct and rigorous austerities, thereby greatly emaciating her own body.

Word by Word

पञ्चगङ्गासुin the Pañcagaṅgās (five Gaṅgās / a place so named)

साshe

पुण्याvirtuous, holy

कन्याmaiden, girl

वेतसकेषुamong/in the cane-groves (vetasa thickets)

चand

तपोविशेषैःby special austerities

बहुभिःby many

कर्षयत्emaciating, making lean

देहम्the body

आत्मनःof herself (her own)

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

puṇyā kanyā (the virtuous maiden)

Pañcagaṅgā

Vetasa-groves (Vetasaka)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores tapas (austerity) as a disciplined, purposeful practice: sincere spiritual resolve may demand bodily hardship, but it is framed as a meritorious act aimed at purification and attainment of a higher end.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes a virtuous maiden performing many kinds of severe austerities at sacred locations—Pañcagaṅgā and the Vetasa groves—so intensely that her body becomes extremely emaciated.