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

Surya berkata: “Brahmana ini hidup dari akar dan buah; kadang ia bertahan hanya dengan daun-daun yang telah mengering. Kadang ia hanya meminum air, dan kadang seolah-olah ia hidup dengan ‘memakan’ angin. Dengan indria terkendali dan diri teratur, ia tetap teguh, pikirannya terhimpun, tenggelam dalam pemusatan batin.”

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)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights tapas (austerity) and mental composure: ethical strength is cultivated through restraint in consumption and steady concentration (samāhita), presenting ascetic discipline as a means to inner clarity and dharmic excellence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sūrya describes an exemplary brahmin ascetic whose livelihood is extremely minimal—roots, fruits, dried leaves, sometimes only water or even ‘air’—to emphasize his rigorous vows and unwavering meditative focus.