Shloka 9

ययातिपतनम् — Yayāti’s Fall and the Offer of Dharma

Nārada’s Account

Devanagari script

स्रवन्तीनां च पुण्यानां सुरसानि शुचीनि च । पिबन्ती वारिमुख्यानि शीतानि विमलानि च

Transliteration

sravantīnāṃ ca puṇyānāṃ surasāni śucīni ca | pibantī vārimukhyāni śītāni vimalāni ca ||

Translation

ନାରଦ କହିଲେ—ପ୍ରବହମାନ ପବିତ୍ର ନଦୀମାନଙ୍କର ସୁଗନ୍ଧିତ ଓ ନିର୍ମଳ ସ୍ରୋତରୁ ସେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଜଳ ପାନ କରୁଥିଲା—ଯାହା ଶୀତଳ, ସ୍ୱଚ୍ଛ ଓ ପବିତ୍ର। ଏହିପରି ବୈଦୂର୍ୟମଣିର ନବ ଅଙ୍କୁର ପରି ଦୀପ୍ତିମତୀ ମାଧବୀ କୋମଳ, ମସୃଣ, ତିକ୍ତ-ମଧୁର ରସଯୁକ୍ତ ସବୁଜ ଘାସ ଚରି, ପବିତ୍ର ନଦୀର ଶୁଦ୍ଧ, ଶୀତଳ, ନିର୍ମଳ ଓ ସୁସ୍ୱାଦୁ ଜଳ ପିଇ, ମୃଗମାନଙ୍କର ଆବାସଭୂତ—ମାନବ କୋଳାହଳରହିତ, ଦାବାନଳଶୂନ୍ୟ, ନିର୍ଜନ ବନମାନେ—ମୃଗମାନଙ୍କ ସହ ବନଚାରିଣୀ ହରିଣୀ ପରି ବିଚରଣ କରୁଥିଲା। ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚର୍ୟ ପାଳନ କରି ସେ ମହାନ୍ ଧର୍ମ ଆଚରଣ କଲା।

Word by Word

• स्रवन्तीनाम्: of flowing (ones)
• स्रवन्तीनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्रवत् (√स्रु)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

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

• पुण्यानाम्: of holy/meritorious (ones)
• पुण्यानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• सुरसानि: sweet-tasting, pleasant
• सुरसानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरस
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• शुचीनि: pure, clean
• शुचीनि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

• पिबन्ती: drinking
• पिबन्ती: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पिबत् (√पा)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वारि: water
• वारि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मुख्यानि: chief, excellent
• मुख्यानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• शीतानि: cool
• शीतानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• विमलानि: clear, spotless
• विमलानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• sacred rivers (puṇyāḥ nadyaḥ)
• water (vāri)
• Mādhavī
• vaidūrya-gem (vaidūrya-maṇi)
• deer (mṛga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage praises purity and self-restraint: living simply, seeking what is clean and wholesome, and upholding brahmacarya as a foundation for ‘great dharma’—ethical strength expressed through disciplined conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes Mādhavī’s forest life: she drinks pure, cool river-water, lives among deer in safe, solitary woods, and maintains celibate discipline while practicing exemplary righteousness.