Shloka 20

Indratīrtha–Ādityatīrtha: Balarāma’s Ritual Bathing, Dāna, and Sacred-Historical Recollections

Devanagari script

तत्परा शुचिसंवीता पावके समधिश्रयत्‌ । अपचदू राजशार्दूल बदराणि महाव्रता

Transliteration

tatparā śucisaṃvītā pāvake samadhiśrayat | apacadū rājaśārdūla badarāṇi mahāvratā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Intent on her task and wrapped in purity, she set the fruits upon the fire. O tiger among kings, that maiden of great vows then cooked the jujube fruits with steady diligence—acting in silence, disciplined in cleanliness, and free from weariness.

Word by Word

• तत्परा: intent on that, devoted
• तत्परा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्पर
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• शुचि-संवीता: clad in purity/clean garments
• शुचि-संवीता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि-संवीत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पावके: in/onto the fire
• पावके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• समधिश्रयत्: placed upon, set on
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-श्रि
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अपचत्: cooked
• Type: Verb
• Root: पच्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजशार्दूल: O tiger among kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज-शार्दूल
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• बदराणि: jujube fruits (ber)
• बदराणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बदर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• महाव्रता: of great vow, very austere
• महाव्रता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाव्रत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• pāvaka (Agni/fire)
• badara (jujube/ber fruits)
• mahāvratā kanyā (vowed maiden/ascetic girl)
• rājaśārdūla (addressed king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights śauca (cleanliness/purity) and disciplined action: even a simple act like preparing food is performed with restraint, silence, and conscientious purity, reflecting dharmic conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

A vowed maiden, maintaining purity and focus, places jujube fruits on the fire and cooks them diligently; the narrator addresses the king with the epithet ‘tiger among kings’ while describing her disciplined preparation.