Shloka 2

Devanagari script

एष मूलफलाहार: शीर्णपर्णाशनस्तथा । अब्भक्षो वायुभक्षश्न आसीद्‌ विप्र: समाहित:,ये ब्राह्मगदेवता फल-मूलका आहार करते, सूखे पत्ते चबाते अथवा पानी या हवा पीकर रह जाते थे और सदा एकाग्रचित्त होकर ध्यानमग्न रहते थे

Transliteration

eṣa mūla-phalāhāraḥ śīrṇa-parṇāśanas tathā | ab-bhakṣo vāyu-bhakṣaś ca āsīd vipraḥ samāhitaḥ ||

Translation

Sūrya said: “This brahmin lived on roots and fruits; at times he subsisted on withered leaves. Sometimes he took only water, and sometimes he lived as though feeding on air. Thus restrained and self-controlled, he remained collected in mind, absorbed in inner concentration.”

Word by Word

एषःthis

मूलफलाहारःone whose food is roots and fruits

शीर्णपर्णाशनःeater of fallen/dry leaves

तथाalso; likewise

अब्भक्षःwater-drinker (one who subsists on water)

वायुभक्षःair-feeder (one who subsists on air)

आसीत्was

विप्रःa brahmin

समाहितःcomposed; concentrated; collected (in mind)

Speaker

सूर्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sūrya

vipra (a brahmin ascetic)

mūla (roots)

phala (fruits)

śīrṇa-parṇa (withered leaves)

ap/ab (water)

vāyu (air)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes