Shloka 23

Omens and Consolation after Loss; Reaffirmation of the Saindhava Punishment Vow (उत्पात-दर्शनम्, आश्वासन-वाक्यानि, प्रतिज्ञा-स्थैर्यम्)

Devanagari script

पज्चगज्जासु सा पुण्या कन्या वेतसकेषु च । तपोविशेषैर्बहुभि: कर्षयद्‌ देहमात्मन:,उस पवित्र कन्याने पंचगंगामें तथा वेतसवनमें बहुत-सी भिन्न-भिन्न तपस्याओंद्वारा अपने शरीरको अत्यन्त दुर्बल कर दिया

Transliteration

pañcagaṅgāsu sā puṇyā kanyā vetasakeṣu ca | tapoviśeṣair bahubhiḥ karṣayad deham ātmanaḥ ||

Translation

ସେହି ପୁଣ୍ୟଶୀଳ କନ୍ୟା ପଞ୍ଚଗଙ୍ଗା ତୀର୍ଥରେ ଓ ବେତସବନରେ ବାସ କରି, ଅନେକ ପ୍ରକାର ବିଶେଷ ତପସ୍ୟା ଦ୍ୱାରା ନିଜ ଦେହକୁ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ କ୍ଷୀଣ କରିଦେଲା।

Word by Word

• पञ्चगङ्गासु: in the Pañcagaṅgās (five Gaṅgās / a place so named)
• पञ्चगङ्गासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चगङ्गा
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• सा: she
• सा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पुण्या: virtuous, holy
• पुण्या: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कन्या: maiden, girl
• कन्या: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वेतसकेषु: among/in the cane-groves (vetasa thickets)
• वेतसकेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेतसक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तपोविशेषैः: by special austerities
• तपोविशेषैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोविशेष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• कर्षयत्: emaciating, making lean
• कर्षयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृष्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• देहम्: the body
• देहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आत्मनः: of herself (her own)
• आत्मनः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• puṇyā kanyā (the virtuous maiden)
• Pañcagaṅgā
• Vetasa-groves (Vetasaka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores tapas (austerity) as a disciplined, purposeful practice: sincere spiritual resolve may demand bodily hardship, but it is framed as a meritorious act aimed at purification and attainment of a higher end.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes a virtuous maiden performing many kinds of severe austerities at sacred locations—Pañcagaṅgā and the Vetasa groves—so intensely that her body becomes extremely emaciated.