Shloka 79

Trita in the Well (Udapāna-kathā) — Balarāma’s Tīrtha Observances

Devanagari script

अमावास्यां महातेजास्तत्रोन्मज्जन्‌ महाद्युति: | लोकान्‌ प्रभासयामास शीतांशुत्वमवाप च

Transliteration

amāvāsyāṃ mahātejās tatrōnmajjan mahādyutiḥ | lokān prabhāsayāmāsa śītāṃśutvam avāpa ca ||

Translation

अमावास्यां महातेजास्तत्रोन्मज्जन् महाद्युतिः । लोकान् प्रभासयामास शीतांशुत्वमवाप च ॥

Word by Word

• अमावास्यायाम्: on the new-moon night
• अमावास्यायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमावास्या
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• महातेजाः: the very radiant one
• महातेजाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातेजस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• उन्मज्जन्: plunging/bathing (immersing and rising)
• उन्मज्जन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उन्मज्ज्
• Form: Shatr (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाद्युतिः: the one of great splendor
• महाद्युतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाद्युति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोकान्: the worlds
• लोकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रभासयामास: made (them) shine; illuminated
• प्रभासयामास: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-भास् (causative: प्रभासय-)
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha/Periphrastic perfect usage in epic style), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शीतांशुत्वम्: the state of being cool-rayed (moonlike quality)
• शीतांशुत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीतांशुत्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अवाप: attained
• अवाप: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Amāvāsyā (new-moon night)
• Tīrtha (sacred bathing place)
• Lokāḥ (the worlds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the purifying and restorative power of dharmic observance—especially bathing at a tīrtha at an auspicious time—by which one’s inner brilliance is renewed and becomes beneficial to the wider world.

What is happening in the narrative?

On the night of amāvāsyā, a highly radiant figure bathes at a sacred ford; as a result he gains a cool, moonlike radiance and is described as illuminating the worlds.