Shloka 12

Vyāsa’s Boon-Offer and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse in the Forest Assembly (आश्रमवासिक पर्व, अध्याय ३६)

Devanagari script

आततस्थे स तपस्तीव्रं पिता तव तपोधन: । वीटां मुखे समाधाय वायुभक्षो5भवन्मुनि:,वहाँ जाकर तपस्याके धनी तुम्हारे ताऊने कठोर तपस्या आरम्भ की। वे मुँहमें पत्थरका टुकड़ा रखकर वायुका आहार करते और मौन रहते थे

Transliteration

ātatasthe sa tapastīvraṃ pitā tava tapodhanaḥ | vīṭāṃ mukhe samādhāya vāyubhakṣo 'bhavan muniḥ ||

Translation

Нарада сказал: «Там твой отец, богатый силой подвижничества, принял на себя суровую аскезу. Положив в рот маленький камень, мудрец питался одним воздухом и хранил молчание».

Word by Word

आततस्थेstood firm; remained engaged

सःhe

तपःausterity; penance

तीव्रम्severe; intense

पिताfather

तवof you; your

तपोधनःone whose wealth is austerity; ascetic

वीटाम्a lump/piece (here: stone/pebble piece)

मुखेin (his) mouth

समाधायhaving placed; having put

वायुभक्षःair-eating; living on air

अभवत्became; was

मुनिःsage

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

your father (pitā tava)

muni (the sage/ascetic)

vīṭā (small stone/pebble)

vāyu (air)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical power of disciplined renunciation: by embracing austerity, silence, and minimal sustenance, one cultivates mastery over desire and steadiness of purpose—qualities praised as supports of dharma and inner purification.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes how the person referred to as 'your father' undertakes harsh penance at that place: he puts a small stone in his mouth (signaling a vow of silence and restraint) and lives on air alone, practicing extreme ascetic discipline.