Shloka 121
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
तात! इसीलिये वह आटेका रस मुझे प्रिय नहीं लगा; अतः मैंने बालस्वभाववश ही अपनी मातासे कहा-- ।।
tāta! isīliye sa āṭekā rasa mama priyaḥ na lāga; ataḥ mayā bālasvabhāvavaśāt eva svamātāyai uktam—
na idaṃ kṣīrodanaṃ mātari yat tvaṃ me dattavatī asi |
tato mām abravīn mātā duḥkhaśokasamanvitā,
vane nivasatāṃ nityaṃ kandamūlaphalāśinām |
“mā! tvaṃ me yad dattavatī, etat kṣīrodanaṃ na.”
(mādhava!) tataḥ sā mātā duḥkhaśokanimagnā putrasnehāt mām hṛdayena āliṅgya mama mastakaṃ ghrātvā mām abravīt—
“vane nityaṃ nivasantaḥ kandamūla-phalāhārāḥ śuddhāntaraṅgā munayaḥ; teṣāṃ kṣīrodanaṃ kutaḥ syāt?”
Vāsudeva dit : «Bien-aimé, voilà pourquoi le goût de cette bouillie grossière ne me plut point. Aussi, dans l’innocence de l’enfance, dis-je à ma mère : “Mère, ce que tu m’as donné n’est pas du riz au lait.” Alors ma mère —accablée de peine et de chagrin— me répondit. M’enlaçant par tendresse maternelle et respirant le sommet de ma tête, elle dit : “Mon enfant, comment ces sages qui demeurent toujours dans la forêt et se nourrissent de tubercules, de racines et de fruits pourraient-ils jamais obtenir du riz au lait ?”»
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights contentment and ethical realism: those who live by austere forest-dharma (subsisting on roots and fruits) cannot be judged by standards of luxury. It also underscores compassion—understanding the limits and circumstances of others rather than demanding what is unavailable.
Vāsudeva recalls a childhood moment when he complained to his mother that what he received was not milk-rice. His mother, grieving yet affectionate, explains that forest-dwelling sages who live on simple foods cannot possibly procure milk-rice, gently correcting his childish expectation.