Shloka 15

ययाति–अष्टक–प्रतर्दन संवादः | Yayāti’s Dialogue with Aṣṭaka and Pratardana on Merit, Gifts, and Ethical Restraint

Devanagari script

पूर्ण वर्षसहस्रं च एवंवृत्तिरभून्नप: । अब्भक्ष: शरदस्त्रिंशदासीज्नियतवामड्मना:,राजाको इसी वृत्तिसे रहते हुए पूरे एक हजार वर्ष बीत गये। उन्होंने मन और वाणीपर संयम करके तीस वर्षोतक केवल जलका आहार किया

Transliteration

pūrṇaṃ varṣasahasraṃ ca evaṃvṛttir abhūn nṛpaḥ | abbhakṣaḥ śaradās triṃśad āsīj jitatavāgmanāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana disse: Assim mantendo essa disciplina, o rei completou um pleno milhar de anos. Com a fala e a mente sob controle, viveu por trinta estações de outono tomando apenas água como sustento—um voto austero, marcado por contenção e firmeza.

Word by Word

पूर्णम्full, complete

वर्षसहस्रम्a thousand years

चand

एवम्thus, in this manner

वृत्तिःmode of living, practice

अभूत्was, became

नपःthe ascetic (Napaḥ, proper name/epithet)

अप्-भक्षःwater-eating; subsisting on water

शरदःautumns; years (by seasons)

त्रिंशत्thirty

आसीत्was

नियत-वाक्-मनाःwith speech and mind restrained

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

nṛpaḥ (the king, unnamed in this verse)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights tapas grounded in restraint: conquering speech and mind and sustaining a disciplined vow over long periods is portrayed as ethically significant self-mastery rather than mere physical hardship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a king continuing an established ascetic regimen for a thousand years, and for thirty autumn seasons living only on water while maintaining control over mind and speech.