Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 43
Indratīrtha–Ādityatīrtha: Balarāma’s Ritual Bathing, Dāna, and Sacred-Historical Recollections
अनश्नन्त्या: पचन्त्याश्न शृण्वन्त्याश्व॒ कथा: शुभा: | दिनोपम: स तस्याथ कालो5तीत: सुदारुण:
anaśnantyāḥ pacantyāś ca śṛṇvantyāś ca kathāḥ śubhāḥ | dinopamaḥ sa tasyātha kālo 'tītaḥ sudāruṇaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: As she went without eating, cooked (the berries), and listened to auspicious tales, that exceedingly harsh stretch of time passed for her as though it were a single day—until the dreadful drought came to an end.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Steadfastness in hardship—sustained by śubha-kathā (uplifting, dharmic narratives) and self-restraint—can make even prolonged suffering feel bearable, as inner orientation transforms one’s experience of time and distress.
A woman endures a severe period (contextually a long drought) by fasting, preparing what little is available (berries), and listening to auspicious stories; through this disciplined, devotional focus, the dreadful time seems to pass like a single day until the calamity ends.