Shloka 30

सरस्वतीतीर्थानुक्रमः — बलरामस्य तीर्थयात्रा

Sarasvatī Tīrtha Itinerary — Balarāma’s Pilgrimage

Devanagari script

त्रित आत्मानमालक्ष्य कूपे वीरुतृतृणावृते । निमग्नं भरतश्रेष्ठ नरके दुष्कृती यथा

Transliteration

trita ātmānam ālakṣya kūpe vīru-tṛṇa-āvṛte | nimagnaṃ bharataśreṣṭha narake duṣkṛtī yathā ||

Translation

وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا—اے بھرت شریشٹھ، گھاس، بیلوں اور جھاڑیوں سے بھرا ہوا وہ کنواں دیکھ کر، اور اپنے آپ کو اس میں گرا ہوا پا کر، تِرِت کو یوں لگا جیسے کوئی بدکردار دوزخ میں دھنس گیا ہو۔

Word by Word

• त्रितः: Trita (proper name)
• त्रितः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आत्मानम्: himself
• आत्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आलक्ष्य: having noticed/observed
• Type: Verb
• Root: लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• कूपे: in a well
• कूपे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वीरुत्-तृण-आवृते: covered with creepers and grass
• वीरुत्-तृण-आवृते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीरुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तृण (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत (कृदन्त, √वृ)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• निमग्नम्: sunk/immersed
• निमग्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निमग्न (कृदन्त, √मज्ज्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भरतश्रेष्ठ: O best of the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• दुष्कृती: a sinner/evil-doer
• दुष्कृती: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्कृतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: as/just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Trita
• kūpa (well)
• naraka (hell)
• Soma (Soma-rasa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how a person’s inner state can resemble hell when trapped by misfortune and deprivation; yet the wise respond not with despair but with clear reflection on how to uphold their sacred aims (here, access to Soma/ritual fulfillment) even in adversity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Trita finds himself fallen into a well choked with vegetation. Feeling as helpless as a sinner sunk in hell and fearing death, he begins to think through a way to obtain Soma despite being trapped.