Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

वृत्त्यर्थ फलमूलानि समाहर्तु ययु: किल । “वहाँ पहुँचकर कठोर व्रतका पालन करनेवाले वे महाभाग महर्षि जीवन-निर्वाहके निमित्त फल-मूल लानेके लिये वनमें गये ।।

Transliteration

vṛttyartha-phala-mūlāni samāhartu yayuḥ kila | teṣāṃ vṛttyarthināṃ tatra vasatāṃ himavad-vane ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Seeking the means of subsistence, they indeed went to gather fruits and roots. Thus, while those ascetics—dwelling in the Himalayan forest and intent only on livelihood—set about collecting simple forest fare, the tale underscores a disciplined life of restraint, where survival is pursued without greed or harm.

Word by Word

• वृत्त्यर्थम्: for the sake of livelihood
• वृत्त्यर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति-अर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• फलमूलानि: fruits and roots
• फलमूलानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल-मूल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• समाहर्तुम्: to collect/gather
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-हृ
• Form: Infinitive (Tumun), Parasmaipada (usage)

• ययुः: they went
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• किल: indeed / it is said
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Himavat (Himālaya)
• forest (vana)
• fruits (phala)
• roots (mūla)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical restraint in sustaining life: one should seek livelihood through simple, non-exploitative means, taking only what is necessary (fruits and roots) and maintaining discipline rather than indulgence.

What is happening in the narrative?

The group living in the Himālaya forest goes out to gather fruits and roots to maintain themselves, indicating a setting of austere forest-dwelling and a routine of subsistence.