Shloka 5

Āraṇyaka Parva, Adhyāya 116: Jamadagni–Reṇukā Narrative and the Kārtavīrya Conflict

Akṛtavraṇa’s Account

Devanagari script

फलाहारेषु सर्वेषु गतेष्वथ सुतेषु वै । रेणुका सनातुमगमत्‌ कदाचिन्नियतव्रता,एक दिन जब सब पुत्र फल लानेके लिये वनमें चले गये तब नियमपूर्वक उत्तम व्रतका पालन करनेवाली रेणुका स्नान करनेके लिये नदी-तटपर गयी

Transliteration

phalāhāreṣu sarveṣu gateṣv atha suteṣu vai | reṇukā sanātum agamat kadācin niyatavratā ||

Translation

Когда все её сыновья ушли в лес собирать плоды себе в пропитание, Ренука — стойкая в дисциплине своего обета — в назначенное время отправилась к берегу реки совершить омовение. Эта сцена подчёркивает тихую силу дхармы в повседневности: даже среди домашних забот она хранит чистоту, самообладание и неизменную регулярность обрядов.

Word by Word

• फलाहारेषु: in (the matter of) fruit-gatherings / fruit-food (acts)
• फलाहारेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: फलाहार
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• गतेषु: having gone
• गतेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• सुतेषु: when the sons (were)
• सुतेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• रेणुका: Renuka
• रेणुका: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेणुका
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सनातुम्: to bathe
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for infinitive)

• अगमत्: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कदाचित्: once / at some time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित्

• नियतव्रता: one observing a regulated vow
• नियतव्रता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियतव्रत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

अकृतव्रण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• अकृतव्रण (Akṛtavraṇa)
• रेणुका (Reṇukā)
• पुत्र/सुत (sons)
• वन (forest)
• नदी-तट (riverbank)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma expressed through disciplined routine: Reṇukā maintains regulated vows and purity practices (such as bathing) alongside family duties, suggesting that ethical steadiness is sustained through everyday observances.

What is happening in the narrative?

All the sons have gone to the forest to collect fruits; during their absence, Reṇukā, described as devoted to regulated vows, goes to the riverbank to bathe.