Shloka 58
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
अश्वत्थफलभक्षाश्व तथा हुदकशायिन: । चीरचर्माम्बरधरास्तथा वल्कलधारिण:,कोई पीपलके फल खाकर रहते, कोई जलमें ही सोते तथा कुछ लोग चीर, वल्कल और मृगचर्म धारण करते थे
aśvatthaphalabhakṣāś ca tathā udakaśāyinaḥ | cīracarmāmbaradharās tathā valkaladhāriṇaḥ ||
Vāsudeva disse: “Alguns viviam comendo os frutos da aśvattha (a figueira sagrada); alguns se deitavam para dormir na água; e outros vestiam trapos, fibra de casca e pele de cervo.”
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores tapas (austerity) and aparigraha-like restraint: ethical strength is cultivated by minimizing bodily indulgence and possessions, adopting simple sustenance and humble clothing to support inner discipline.
Vāsudeva is describing different groups of ascetics and their rigorous lifestyles—some living on aśvattha fruits, some sleeping in water, and others wearing rags, bark, and deerskin—illustrating the range of renunciant observances present in the setting.