Shloka 70
Trita in the Well (Udapāna-kathā) — Balarāma’s Tīrtha Observances
असौ हि चन्द्रमा: क्षीण: किज्चिच्छेषो हि लक्ष्यते,“चन्द्रमा क्षीण हो चुके हैं और उनका कुछ ही अंश शेष दिखायी देता है। देवेश्वर! उनके क्षयसे लता, वीरुतू, ओषधियाँ भाँति-भाँतिके बीज और सम्पूर्ण प्रजा भी क्षीण हो गयी है
asau hi candramāḥ kṣīṇaḥ kiñciccheṣo hi lakṣyate |
Vaiśampāyana said: “Behold, the moon has waned; only a small remnant is visible. O Lord of the gods, because of this diminution, creepers, grasses, medicinal herbs, seeds of many kinds, and indeed all living beings have become enfeebled.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the Mahābhārata’s ethic of interconnectedness: cosmic imbalance (the moon’s waning) is mirrored in ecological and social depletion. It implies that sustaining order (dharma) is not merely personal morality but also the maintenance of conditions under which life—plants, seeds, and people—can flourish.
Vaiśampāyana reports an ominous sign: the moon appears greatly diminished, with only a small portion visible. This waning is presented as having tangible consequences—vegetation, medicinal herbs, seeds, and the general populace are described as weakened—signaling a broader atmosphere of decline surrounding the events of the war.