Shloka 33

Trita in the Well (Udapāna-kathā) — Balarāma’s Tīrtha Observances

Devanagari script

विपण्यापणपण्यानां नानाजनशतैर्व॑त: । नानाद्रुमलतोपेतो नानारत्नविभूषित:,उस पथपर खरीदने-बेचनेकी वस्तुओंका बाजार भी साथ-साथ चलता था, जिसमें नाना प्रकारके सैकड़ों मनुष्य भरे रहते थे। वह हाट भाँति-भाँतिके वृक्षों और लताओंसे सुशोभित तथा अनेकानेक रत्नोंसे विभूषित दिखायी देता था

Transliteration

vipaṇyāpaṇapaṇyānāṃ nānā-janāśatair vṛtaḥ | nānā-druma-latopeto nānā-ratna-vibhūṣitaḥ ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。道のかたわらには、売買の品々を載せた市が、まるで絶え間なく移り行くかのように連なり、さまざまな人々が数百も群れ集っていた。その市のような行列は、多様な樹木と蔓草に飾られ、さらに数々の宝玉で彩られて、戦の陰鬱な舞台の中にあってなお、王者の行幸に伴う華やぎと喧噪を示していた。

Word by Word

विपण्यापणपण्यानाम्of wares of shops/markets (goods for sale)

नानाvarious, many kinds of

जनशतैःwith hundreds of people

वृतःsurrounded, filled

नानाvarious

द्रुमलतोपेतःendowed with various trees and creepers

नानाvarious

रत्नविभूषितःadorned with various jewels

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

market/bazaar (āpaṇa)

merchandise/wares (vipaṇyā, paṇya)

trees (druma)

creepers/vines (latā)

jewels (ratna)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

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 how worldly commerce and display persist even in a war context, implicitly contrasting external splendor and material bustle with the underlying impermanence and moral gravity of the conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a road-side scene accompanying a large movement—like a traveling bazaar—packed with many people and goods, visually embellished with greenery and jewels, emphasizing the scale and opulence of the procession.