Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

स पन्था: प्रब॒भौ राजन्‌ सर्वस्यैव सुखावह: । स्वर्गोपमस्तदा वीर नराणां तत्र गच्छताम्‌ | नित्यप्रमुदितोपेत: स्वादुभक्ष्य: शुभान्वित:

Transliteration

sa panthāḥ prababhau rājan sarvasyaiva sukhāvahaḥ | svargopamas tadā vīra narāṇāṃ tatra gacchatām | nityapramuditopetaḥ svādubhakṣyaḥ śubhānvitaḥ |

Translation

وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا— اے راجَن! وہ راہ سب کے لیے سراسر راحت بخش ہو کر جگمگا رہی تھی۔ وہاں جانے والے سورماؤں اور لوگوں کو وہ گویا بہشت کی مانند دکھائی دیتی—ہمیشہ شادمانی سے لبریز، لذیذ خوراک سے بھرپور، اور نیک و مبارک انجام والی۔

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'panthāḥ', 'definition': 'road, path, route'}, {'term': 'prababhau', 'definition': 'shone forth

• appeared splendid/manifest'}, {'term': 'rājan', 'definition': 'O king (vocative address)'}, {'term': 'sarvasya eva', 'definition': 'for everyone indeed'}, {'term': 'sukhāvahaḥ', 'definition': 'bringing happiness

• conducive to comfort'}, {'term': 'svargopamaḥ', 'definition': 'comparable to heaven

• heaven-like'}, {'term': 'tadā', 'definition': 'then, at that time'}, {'term': 'vīra', 'definition': 'O hero

• brave one (vocative)'}, {'term': 'narāṇām', 'definition': 'of men/people'}, {'term': 'tatra gacchatām', 'definition': 'of those going there

• of travellers on that route'}, {'term': 'nitya', 'definition': 'constant, continual'}, {'term': 'pramudita', 'definition': 'gladdened, joyful'}, {'term': 'upetaḥ', 'definition': 'endowed with

• accompanied by'}, {'term': 'svādu-bhakṣyaḥ', 'definition': 'having sweet/tasty food

• providing delicious fare'}, {'term': 'śubhānvitaḥ', 'definition': 'attended by auspiciousness

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• King (Janamejaya, implied addressee)
• panthāḥ (the road/path)
• svarga (heaven, as comparison)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how an environment shaped by auspicious conditions—joy, nourishment, and good omens—can make even a difficult journey feel ‘heaven-like.’ Ethically, it underscores the value of providing safe passage and hospitality so that people experience well-being rather than fear or deprivation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes to the king a particular route taken by travellers/warriors. That road appears radiant and exceptionally pleasant: people moving along it feel constant cheer, find tasty food, and encounter auspicious results, as though they were travelling through heaven.