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Shloka 124

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

कुतः क्षीरं वनस्थानां मुनीनां गिरिवासिनाम्‌ | “जो बालखिल्योंद्वारा सेवित दिव्य नदी गंगाका सहारा लिये बैठे हैं, पर्वतों और वनोंमें रहनेवाले उन मुनियोंको दूध कहाँसे मिलेगा? || १२३ $ ।।

kutaḥ kṣīraṃ vanasthānāṃ munīnāṃ girivāsinām |

Disse Vāsudeva: “De onde viria leite para aqueles sábios que habitam as florestas e vivem nas montanhas?” A pergunta ressalta um princípio de justiça: não se pode esperar que ascetas que renunciaram à vida estabelecida e às posses obtenham provisões domésticas; portanto, não se lhes devem impor exigências ou padrões próprios da vida mundana.

कुतःfrom where?
कुतः:
Apadana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकुतस्
FormAvyaya (interrogative adverb)
क्षीरम्milk
क्षीरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootक्षीर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
वनस्थानाम्of those dwelling in the forest
वनस्थानाम्:
Sampradana
TypeAdjective
Rootवनस्थ
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
मुनीनाम्of sages
मुनीनाम्:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootमुनि
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
गिरिवासिनाम्of those living on mountains
गिरिवासिनाम्:
Sampradana
TypeAdjective
Rootगिरिवासिन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural

वासुदेव उवाच

V
Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
M
muni (sages/ascetics)
V
vana (forest)
G
giri (mountain)
K
kṣīra (milk)

Educational Q&A

Do not expect renunciants living in forests and mountains to provide or procure comforts typical of household life; ethical judgment must consider a person’s station (āśrama) and circumstances.

Vāsudeva poses a rhetorical question to highlight the practical reality of ascetic life: sages living away from settlements lack access to domestic resources like milk, implying that demands placed upon them should be restrained and fair.