Shloka 45

भरतचरितम्—मृगासक्ति-हेतुकः समाधिभङ्गः, जातिस्मरत्वं, रहूगण-जाḍभरत-संवादः

Devanagari script

भुङ्क्ते कुल्माषवाट्यादिशाकं वन्यं फलं कणान् यद् यद् आप्नोति सुबहु तद् अत्ते कालसंयमम्

Transliteration

bhuṅkte kulmāṣavāṭyādiśākaṃ vanyaṃ phalaṃ kaṇān yad yad āpnoti subahu tad atte kālasaṃyamam

Translation

He ate only coarse fare—wild greens such as kulmāṣa and vāṭya, forest fruits, and scattered grains. Whatever he obtained, little or much, he consumed with disciplined restraint, keeping to the proper measure and time of food.

Word by Word

• भुङ्क्ते: eats, consumes
• भुङ्क्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकालः), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• कुल्माषवाट्यादि-शाकम्: vegetables such as kulmāṣa and vāṭya
• कुल्माषवाट्यादि-शाकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल्माष + वाट्य + आदि + शाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (…आदि-शाकम् = ‘vegetables such as kulmāṣa and vāṭya’)

• वन्यम्: wild (forest-produced)
• वन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• फलम्: fruit
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• कणान्: grains, particles (of food)
• कणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचनम्

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धसूचकं सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; पुनरुक्तिः (yad yad = ‘whatever, whatsoever’)

• आप्नोति: obtains, gets
• आप्नोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकालः), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• सुबहु: very much, in great quantity
• सुबहु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (indeclinable-like usage); विशेषणम् (intensifier)

• तत्: that (then that)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; तद्-शब्दः (correlative pronoun)

• अत्ते: eats
• अत्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकालः), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• काल- संयमम्: time-regulation, restraint as to time
• काल- संयमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + संयम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कालस्य संयमः = ‘restriction/discipline of time’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Description of an ascetic life of restraint and its outward marks

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Contentment with whatever comes and disciplined regulation of food are marks of inner restraint.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice mindful, timed, moderate eating and reduce dependence on luxury to steady the mind.

Vishishtadvaita: Self-discipline is presented as a supportive limb of bhakti—purifying the body-mind to serve the Lord.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of kāla-saṃyama (time-regulated restraint) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents disciplined eating—taking whatever comes, in measured and timely moderation—as a practical form of restraint that stabilizes the mind and supports dharma-oriented living.

How does Sage Parāśara explain ascetic conduct through diet in this context?

Parāśara emphasizes simplicity and non-indulgence: forest greens, fruits, and grains are taken without attachment, and abundance does not become an excuse for excess.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the discipline described serves Vishnu-centered dharma: self-restraint aligns personal life with cosmic order, a core Vaishnava ideal for approaching the Supreme Reality.