Shloka 22

Devanagari script

सा पूर्व कौशिकीं पुण्यां जगाम नियमैधिता । तत्र वायुजलाहारा चचार नियमं पुन:,इस प्रकार नन्दानदीमें नियमोंके पालनपूर्वक रहकर वह निष्पाप हो गयी। तदनन्तर व्रत-नियमोंसे सम्पन्न हो मृत्यु पहले पुण्यमयी कौशिकीनदीके तटपर गयी और वहाँ वायु तथा जलका आहार करती हुई पुन: कठोर नियमोंका पालन करने लगी

Transliteration

sā pūrvaṃ kauśikīṃ puṇyāṃ jagāma niyamaiḥ dhitā | tatra vāyu-jalāhārā cacāra niyamaṃ punaḥ ||

Translation

Having long been strengthened by disciplined observances, she went first to the sacred river Kauśikī. There, living only on air and water, she again undertook strict vows—continuing her austere self-restraint as a means of purification and moral steadiness.

Word by Word

साshe

पूर्वम्formerly/first

कौशिकीम्to the (river) Kauśikī

पुण्याम्holy/meritorious

जगामwent

नियमैःby/with observances (vows, restraints)

धिताendowed/maintained (i.e., strengthened)

तत्रthere

वायु-जल-आहाराhaving air and water as food

चचारpractised/performed

नियमम्observance/vow

पुनःagain

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Kauśikī (river)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights niyama (disciplined observance) and tapas (austerity) as ethical tools for inner purification and steadiness—showing that sustained self-restraint, not mere intention, is portrayed as transformative.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes a woman who, having already become strengthened by vows, goes to the sacred Kauśikī river and continues her austerities there, living on only air and water while observing strict disciplines again.