Shloka 21

अरण्यवृत्ति-वैराग्योपदेशः | Forest Discipline and the Program of Non-Attachment

Devanagari script

अल्पं वास्वादु वा भोज्यं पूर्वालाभेन जातुचित्‌ । अन्येष्वपि चरेँल्लाभमलाभे सप्त पूरयन्‌

Transliteration

alpaṁ vā svādu vā bhojyaṁ pūrvālābhena jātucit | anyeṣv api carel lābham alābhe sapta pūrayan ||

Translation

ଭିକ୍ଷା ଅଳ୍ପ ମିଳୁ କି ସ୍ୱାଦହୀନ ମିଳୁ—ପୂର୍ବରୁ ଯାହା ମିଳିଲା ନାହିଁ ତାହା ଭାବି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖ କରିବି ନାହିଁ; ଯାହା ମିଳେ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବି। ଗୋଟିଏ ଘରେ ଭିକ୍ଷା ନ ମିଳିଲେ ଅନ୍ୟ ଘରକୁ ଯିବି; ମିଳିଲେ ସେତିକି ପର୍ଯ୍ୟାପ୍ତ। ନ ମିଳିଲେ କ୍ରମେ ସାତ ଘର ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଯିବି; ଅଷ୍ଟମ ଘରକୁ ଯିବି ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• अल्पम्: little (quantity)
• अल्पम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• अस्वादु: tasteless, not delicious
• अस्वादु: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्वादु
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• भोज्यम्: food, something to be eaten
• भोज्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोज्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पूर्व: from the previous (one)
• पूर्व: Apadana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• अलाभेन: by/with non-attainment, by failure to get (alms)
• अलाभेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलाभ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• जातु: ever, at any time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जातु

• चित्: even, at all (enclitic)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित्

• अन्येषु: in/among others (houses/people)
• अन्येषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

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

• चरेत्: should go about, should seek
• चरेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• लाभम्: gain, obtaining (alms)
• लाभम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अलाभे: in the case of non-attainment
• अलाभे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलाभ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सप्त: seven
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त

• पूरयन्: filling, completing
• पूरयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूरयत् (from causative धातु पूरय- < पूर्)
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• alms (bhikṣā)
• houses (implied: householders’ doors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Practice contentment and restraint: accept whatever alms comes without craving for better food, and set a disciplined limit (seven houses) to prevent greed, harassment of householders, and dependence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira describes a rule of conduct for seeking alms: he will not lament earlier failure, will try other houses if refused, and will stop after approaching seven houses, avoiding an eighth.