Shloka 21
Kṛṣṇasya Dvārakā-praveśaḥ — Krishna’s Return to Dvārakā and the Raivataka Festival
शाखामासज्य तस्यैव कृष्णाजिनमरिंदम । पातयामास बिल्वानि तदा स द्विजपुज्गव:,शत्रुदमन! रास्तेमें एक स्थानमें उन्हें बड़े जोरकी भूख लगी। वहाँ पास ही फलोंके भारसे झुका हुआ एक बेलका वृक्ष दिखायी दिया। ब्रह्मर्षि उत्तंक उस वृक्षपर चढ़ गये और उस काले मृगचर्मको उन्होंने उसकी एक शाखामें बाँध दिया। फिर वे ब्राह्मणपुंगव उस समय वहाँ बेल तोड़-तोड़कर गिराने लगे
vaiśampāyana uvāca | śākhām āsajya tasyaiva kṛṣṇājinam ariṃdama | pātayāmāsa bilvāni tadā sa dvijapuṅgavaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O subduer of foes, having fastened that very black antelope-skin to a branch, the foremost of Brahmins then began to knock down bilva fruits.” The scene underscores a moment of human need—hunger met through simple, lawful means—showing the ascetic’s practical resourcefulness without abandoning restraint.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even an ascetic may meet bodily needs like hunger, but should do so with restraint and without violating dharma—using available means simply and appropriately.
The sage (Uttaṅka, in context) climbs a bilva tree, ties his black antelope-skin to a branch, and then knocks down bilva fruits to eat, as narrated by Vaiśampāyana.