Shloka 30

Devanagari script

कामेन युक्ता ऋषयस्तपस्येव समाहिता: । पलाशफलमूलादा वायुभक्षा: सुसंयता:

Transliteration

kāmena yuktā ṛṣayas tapasy eva samāhitāḥ | palāśa-phala-mūlāda vāyu-bhakṣāḥ su-saṃyatāḥ ||

Translation

కామనతో ప్రేరితులైన ఋషులు తపస్సులో నిమగ్నులై, తపస్సే పరమ లక్ష్యమన్నట్లు సమాహితులై ఉంటారు. వారు పలాశ ఆకులు, ఫలాలు, మూలాలు తిని—కొన్నిసార్లు వాయువునే ఆహారంగా చేసుకొని—దృఢమైన సంయమంతో నిలుస్తారు.

Word by Word

कामेनby/with desire

युक्ताःjoined/possessed (of)

ऋषयःsages

तपसाby austerity

इवas if/like

समाहिताःcollected, absorbed, composed

पलाश-फल-मूल-आदाःtaking (only) palāśa fruits and roots

वायु-भक्षाःair-eaters (living on air)

सु-संयताःwell-restrained, very self-controlled

Speaker

भीमयेन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Ṛ

ṛṣayaḥ (sages)

palāśa (Butea monosperma)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

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 paradox that even sages can be propelled by desire, yet outwardly display intense discipline and austerity. It invites ethical reflection on the difference between inner motive (kāma) and outer practice (tapas), emphasizing that true restraint concerns the mind as much as the body.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes (or is quoted describing) sages who, driven by desire, adopt severe ascetic modes of living—subsisting on leaves, fruits, roots, or even air—while maintaining strong self-control, illustrating the power of desire and the appearance of austerity.