Shloka 38

Jarītā–Śārṅgā-saṃvāda: Ākhu-haraṇa and the Approach of Agni (आखुहरणं अग्न्यागमनश्च)

Devanagari script

कदाचिद्‌ द्वादशे काले कदाचिदपि षोडशे । आहारमकरोदू राजा मूलानि च फलानि च,वे कभी बारहवें दिन और कभी सोलहवें दिन फल-मूलका आहार कर लेते थे

Transliteration

kadācid dvādaśe kāle kadācid api ṣoḍaśe | āhāram akarod rājā mūlāni ca phalāni ca ||

Translation

ไวศัมปายนะกล่าวว่า— บางคราวในวันที่สิบสอง บางคราวแม้ในวันที่สิบหก พระราชาจึงเสวยอาหาร และอาหารนั้นมีเพียงรากไม้กับผลไม้เท่านั้น

Word by Word

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित्

• द्वादशे: on the twelfth
• द्वादशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• काले: at time/day
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित्

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• षोडशे: on the sixteenth
• षोडशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• आहारम्: food/intake
• आहारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अकरोत्: took/made (ate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मूलानि: roots
• मूलानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

• फलानि: fruits
• फलानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• the king (rājā)
• roots (mūla)
• fruits (phala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores tapas (austerity) and self-control: the king limits his intake drastically and irregularly (12th or 16th day), modeling endurance and disciplined restraint as ethically meaningful when directed toward a higher dharmic aim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the king’s regimen: he does not eat daily, but only after long intervals, and even then consumes only simple forest fare—roots and fruits—indicating a period of ascetic observance or hardship.