Shloka 31

Adhyāya 136: Yavakrī–Bharadvāja Saṃvāda and the Bāladhī–Dhanuṣākṣa Gāthā

Arrogance, Boons, and Nimitta

Devanagari script

यवक्रीतस्य यत्‌ तीर्थमुचितं शौचकर्मणि । भागीर थ्यां तत्र सेतुं वालुकाभिश्चवकार स:,गंगाके जिस तीर्थमें यवक्रीत मुनि स्नान आदि किया करते थे, उसीमें वे ब्राह्मण देवता बालूद्वारा पुल बनाने लगे

Transliteration

yavakrītasya yat tīrtham ucitaṃ śaucakarmaṇi | bhāgīrathyāṃ tatra setuṃ vālukābhiś cakāra saḥ ||

Translation

Lomaśa said: At the ford of the Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā) that was proper for Yavakrīta’s rites of purification, he constructed there a small causeway, piling up sand.

Word by Word

• यवक्रीतस्य: of Yavakrīta
• यवक्रीतस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: यवक्रीत
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• तीर्थम्: ford; sacred bathing-place
• तीर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• उचितम्: proper; suitable
• उचितम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उचित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• शौचकर्मणि: in the act of purification (ablution/cleansing rite)
• शौचकर्मणि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौचकर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• भागीरथ्याम्: in the Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā)
• भागीरथ्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागीरथी
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• सेतुम्: a bridge; causeway
• सेतुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेतु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वालुकाभिः: with sand
• वालुकाभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वालुका
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अवकार: made; constructed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव√कृ
• Form: Aorist (simple aorist), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Yavakrīta
• Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā)
• tīrtha (sacred ford)
• setu (causeway/bridge)
• vālukā (sand)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic attentiveness to śauca (purity) and respect for tīrthas: sacred practice is maintained through appropriate conduct, even by simple, non-grand means such as shaping a sand causeway.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomaśa describes a sacred bathing-place on the Bhāgīrathī used by the sage Yavakrīta for purification; at that spot, a person (saḥ) makes a small bridge/causeway out of sand.