स बभूव मुनिः सम्यक्फलाहारसमन्वितः । शीर्ण पर्णाशनः पश्चाद्द्वे शते समपद्यत
sa babhūva muniḥ samyakphalāhārasamanvitaḥ | śīrṇa parṇāśanaḥ paścāddve śate samapadyata
มุนีนั้นดำรงชีพด้วยผลาหารอย่างมีวินัย; ครั้นต่อมาอาศัยใบไม้แห้งเป็นอาหาร ก็ทรงดำเนินเช่นนั้นตลอดสองร้อยปี
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa)
Tirtha: Arbuda-parvata (Vasiṣṭhāśrama)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣis (Naimiṣāraṇya assembly implied)
Scene: Vasiṣṭha in a forest hermitage, receiving fruits in a leaf-bowl, later shown with withered leaves as his only sustenance; time is conveyed through changing seasons and aging trees while the sage remains unwavering.
Steady self-restraint (niyama) and long endurance are portrayed as the foundation of spiritual power and divine grace.
The āśrama locale in Arbuda Khaṇḍa where Vasiṣṭha’s tapas is performed, contributing to the site’s sanctity.
Ascetic dietary observances: phalāhāra (fruit-diet) and later parṇāśana (leaf-eating) as forms of tapas.