Shloka 26

शतानन्दोपदेशः

Śatānanda’s Welcome to Rāma and the Prelude to Viśvāmitra’s History

Devanagari script

नगराणि सराष्ट्राणि सरितश्च तथा गिरीन्।आश्रमान्क्रमशो राम विचरन्नाजगाम ह।।1.51.22।।वसिष्ठस्याश्रमपदं नानावृक्षसमाकुलम्।नानामृगगणाकीर्णं सिद्धचारणसेवितम्।।1.51.23।।देवदानवगन्धर्वै: किन्नरैरुपशोभितम्।प्रशान्तहरिणाकीर्णं द्विजसङ्घनिषेवितम्।।1.51.24।।ब्रह्मर्षिगणसङ्कीर्णं देवर्षिगणसेवितम्।तपश्चरणसंसिद्धैरग्निकल्पैर्महात्मभि:।।1.51.25।।अब्भक्षैर्वायुभक्षैश्च शीर्णपर्णाशनैस्तथा।फलमूलाशनैर्दान्तैर्जितरोषैर्जितेन्द्रियै:।।1.51.26।।ऋषिभिर्वालखिल्यैश्च जपहोमपरायणै:।अन्यैर्वैखानसैश्चैव समन्तादुपशोभितम्।।1.51.27।।

Transliteration

abbhakṣair vāyubhakṣaiś ca śīrṇa-parṇāśanais tathā |

phala-mūlāśanair dāntair jita-roṣair jitendriyaiḥ || 1.51.26 ||

Translation

तो आश्रम सर्व बाजूंनी तपस्वींनी शोभून दिसत होता—काही जलाहारी, काही वायुभक्ष; काही गळलेली पाने खाणारे, काही फल-मूलाहारी; सर्व दान्त, क्रोधजयी व इंद्रियनिग्रही होते।

Word by Word

अप्-भक्षैःby water-eaters (subsisting on water)

वायु-भक्षैःby air-eaters (subsisting on air)

चand

शीर्ण-पर्ण-आशनैःby those who eat fallen leaves

तथाlikewise

फल-मूल-आशनैःby those who eat fruits and roots

दान्तैःby the self-restrained

जित-रोषैःby those who have conquered anger

जित-इन्द्रियैःby those who have controlled the senses

Context

Rama while Viswamitra was wandering about kingdoms, cities, rivers, mountains and hermitages, he gradually reached the ashram of Vasishta. That hermitage afounded in a variety of trees, species of animals, siddhas, charanas, devatas, danavas, gandharvas and kinnaras, multitudes of birds and resting deer. It was inhabited by brahmarshis and devarishis, by sages who had attained perfection through austerities, by those resembling fire in brightness, by the magnanimous and the selfrestrained, by those who had conquered anger and controlled their senses, who was devoted to prayers and offerings of libations. Some of them subsisted on water, some on air. Some lived on fallen leaves, some on fruits and roots. The hermitage looked bedecked with valakhilyas (born from Vala of Brahma ) and vaikhanasas (born from the nails of Brahma).

Characters & Entities

Vasiṣṭha (implied by āśrama context)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma here is the ideal of restraint: moderation in consumption and mastery over anger and the senses. Ethical life is shown as inward governance (jitendriya) rather than mere outward status.

What is the narrative situation?

The poet continues listing the types of ascetic disciplines present at Vasiṣṭha’s hermitage, highlighting varied vows and austerities.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dama and krodha-nigraha—self-restraint and conquest of anger—are emphasized as foundational virtues for spiritual and ethical authority.