Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

विसृष्टास्तास्तथा जम्मु: शीतांशुभवनं तदा । तथापि सोमो भगवान्‌ पुनरेव महीपते

Transliteration

visṛṣṭās tāstathā jammuḥ śītāṃśubhavanaṃ tadā | tathāpi somo bhagavān punareva mahīpate

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ വിട്ടയക്കപ്പെട്ട അവർ അപ്പോൾ ശീതാംശുവിന്റെ (ചന്ദ്രന്റെ) ഭവനത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി. എന്നിരുന്നാലും, ഹേ മഹീപതേ! ഭഗവാൻ സോമൻ വീണ്ടും ഒരിക്കൽ കൂടി മടങ്ങിവന്നു.

Word by Word

विसृष्टाःreleased, let go

ताःthose (f.)

तथाthus, in that manner

जम्मुःJammu (proper name/place-name)

शीतांशु-भवनम्the abode of the moon

तदाthen

तथाeven so, nevertheless (in this context)

अपिalso, even

सोमःSoma; the Moon

भगवान्the blessed/lordly one

पुनःagain

एवindeed, just

महीपतेO king (lord of the earth)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Soma (Moon-god)

Śītāṃśubhavana (abode of the Moon)

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 that divine forces (here, Soma) may withdraw and yet return again, implying that cosmic order operates through recurring intervention aligned with a higher purpose rather than a one-time, linear action.

What is happening in the narrative?

After certain beings are released, they proceed to the Moon’s abode; nevertheless, Soma himself returns again, marking a shift or continuation in the episode where Soma’s presence becomes relevant once more.