Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

कथमाप्लुत्य तस्मिंस्तु पुनराप्पायित: शशी । एतनमे सर्वमाचक्ष्व विस्तरेण महामुने,महामुने! उस तीर्थमें गोता लगाकर चन्द्रमा पुनः किस प्रकार हृष्ट-पुष्ट हुए? यह सब प्रसंग मुझे विस्तारपूर्वक बताइये

Transliteration

janamejaya uvāca | katham āplutya tasmiṁs tu punar āppāyitaḥ śaśī | etan me sarvam ācakṣva vistareṇa mahāmune ||

Translation

Janamejaya said: “O great sage, how did the Moon, after bathing in that sacred ford, become nourished and restored again? Please recount this entire episode to me in detail.”

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• आप्लुत्य: having bathed / having plunged in
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्लु (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), indeclinable; prior action

• तस्मिन्: in that (place)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तु: indeed / but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• आप्पायितः: was nourished / was refreshed / was made to thrive
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + प्यै (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शशी: the moon
• शशी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आचक्ष्व: tell / relate
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative, 2nd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• विस्तरेण: in detail / at length
• विस्तरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महामुने: O great sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janamejaya
• Mahāmune (the sage addressed, traditionally Vaiśampāyana in the Janamejaya dialogue frame)
• Śaśī (the Moon)
• Tīrtha (the sacred bathing place/ford, unnamed here)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights śraddhā-driven inquiry into tīrtha-māhātmya: sacred places and rites are portrayed as sources of renewal, and the listener’s duty is to seek detailed understanding from a qualified teacher.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within the Janamejaya–sage dialogue frame, Janamejaya asks the sage to explain—at length—how the Moon regained strength after bathing at a particular sacred ford, prompting a fuller account of the associated legend.